


Acceptance

by sexywmatsui48



Category: AKB48, SKE48
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/F, Femslash, Futanari, G!P, Light Angst, Self-Acceptance, Sexual Content, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Yuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2018-09-28 15:15:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 49,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10126868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sexywmatsui48/pseuds/sexywmatsui48
Summary: Jurina Matsui was born different.From the outside, she was a girl with shoulder-length black hair, a bit boyish by the way she dressed and behaved, but nevertheless an 18-year-old Japanese girl. However, there was one aspect of her that differenced her from other girls drastically. It wasn’t that she always found herself more attracted to girls than boys – and this from an early age – it was something else that made her very different from the other girls of her age.





	1. Chapter 1

Jurina Matsui was born different.

From the outside, she was a girl with shoulder-length black hair, a bit boyish by the way she dressed and behaved, but nevertheless an 18-year-old Japanese girl. However, there was one aspect of her that differenced her from other girls drastically. It wasn’t that she always found herself more attracted to girls than boys **–** and this from an early age **–** it was something else that made her very different from the other girls of her age.

Physically, Jurina wasn’t completely a girl. It wasn’t something you could discover just by simply looking at her in her daily life. No, it was something that could only be understood once she removed her clothes fully, away from prying eyes. That’s when her difference became evident. Jurina Matsui was a girl but was granted with a specific physical attribute that normally belonged to the opposite gender.  

Jurina Matsui didn’t like being different, especially at an age and in a society in which blending in was the wisest and expected thing to do. Being socially or mentally different from the norm was already a good reason to be cast aside. Jurina’s physical difference was just the icing on the cake.

Very few people knew of her difference, as it was definitely not something she felt like advertising. When she let out the truth to her high school best friend, Mayu Watanabe, it was mostly because she desperately needed to share her burden with someone else. The fear to be rejected was well present when she admitted in a small trembling voice what she was. Unexpectedly, she didn’t get the reaction she legitimately feared. Her friend was nothing but understanding and – even though Jurina could tell Mayu couldn’t grasp entirely why she was different from other girls – she made her feel accepted.

A few years passed and when Jurina reached the age of 21, she moved to Tokyo to live with her roommate, her high school best friend Mayu Watanabe who had never left her side during all these years. Life was easier in college, but Jurina still was very cautious when it came to her physical difference. Her classmates knew nothing of it, and she was very careful with the friendships she created. Jurina did date a few girls tentatively, but all her relationships never managed to go any further than a few kisses.

After all this time, Jurina still was afraid of being rejected for who she was and couldn’t find the courage in her to admit the truth when she grew closer to a girl. That’s why all her romantic relationships ended the same way, with her reluctantly breaking up with the poor, confused girl who had no idea what she had done wrong.

Her incapacity to have a love life was terribly frustrating to Jurina, which led her one evening – after a few drinks – to a drastic decision. Mayu had accepted her for who she was and was nothing but a trusted and caring friend. However, the idea a girl could accept her fully for who she was, and accept to date her despite her difference, was still unconceivable to Jurina.

Using the services of that kind of women had never been on Jurina’s mind before, but maybe the alcohol had influenced her senses too much that evening for her to make that call.

Not only was Jurina getting desperate of having a love life, she had trouble dealing with the physical changes her body was going through. Tonight, she wasn’t looking for a shoulder to lean on, or a nice and casual conversation with a friend. No, she was looking for something more basic and rawer. Someone who could help her release all her pent-up sexual frustration.

She found that help in the form of a girl named Nana. Even though she had alcohol in her system, Jurina was definitely not drunk when the older girl crossed the front door of the apartment she shared with Mayu. The latter, after knowing and surprisingly encouraging her to pursue with her plans, had left the apartment an hour ago, kindly giving her the space and intimacy she needed for the night.

Jurina had seen many attractive girls in her life – even dated a few ones for a short time – but she definitely didn’t regret her choice when she saw the woman with long black hair entering her bedroom. Few words were spoken; taking time to get acquainted was definitely not the objective of this evening anyway. Despite the few drinks she had had before the woman’s arrival, she still felt terribly nervous when she took a seat on the side of the bed, and the woman started to undress herself in front of her. The pictures didn’t lie: the 24-year-old woman was really sexy.

Not only was she well aware of what was expected of her tonight, she had been informed of Jurina’s difference too. It was exactly what she was looking for: someone for the night, with no consequences to deal with. However, as the woman finished to undress and then moved towards the bed in the intention to unbutton her shirt, she realized it wouldn’t be as easy as she thought. Maybe she should have taken a few more drinks, after all.

“You’re so nervous,” the girl called Nana suddenly spoke up gently, breaking the tense atmosphere. “Is it your first time?”

It seemed her nervousness was palpable, Jurina realized at she pondered on the girl’s words. Sharing her love life – or rather lack of it – was the last thing she wished tonight. However, as she felt the stranger caressing her cheek tenderly – in the obvious attempt of calming her nerves – the words came out naturally. Maybe it was because she was facing a complete stranger she would never see again after that day, therefore there would be no consequences to what was going to be shared in that room?

“Do you really think anyone would accept me for who I am?” Jurina retorted, feeling slightly guilty when she realized afterwards how harsh her tone had been. She never intended to let her frustration and bitterness out in such a way, but she blamed it on the alcohol for loosening her tongue.

The woman widened her eyes in surprise but didn’t look offended, her voice very calm when she continued. “Why not? You’re young, good looking and seem nice. I don’t think you should be so afraid of who you are.”

 _Easier said than done_ , Jurina wanted to reply but this time, she kept her thoughts to herself. Somehow, a little voice inside her head was telling her the stranger wasn’t completely wrong, and maybe she should indeed trust a little more people around her. If Mayu had accepted her, why others couldn’t?

Jurina brushed the thought aside fast, focusing on the woman who had resumed what she was previously doing and was continuing unbuttoning her shirt. There was no haste in her movements, and even a form of gentleness Jurina didn’t expect from someone like her.

Jurina didn’t really have stereotypes when it came to women doing that line of work, but she certainly didn’t expect that girl named Nana to behave in such a considerate way. She had only chosen her for her advantageous looks, and because she was one of the very few girls who accepted to have intimate relationships with someone physically different like her. She didn’t really bother to check the rest of her credentials; those two previous factors were enough to make her choice.

The girl had now removed her shirt and her bra and was working on her pants. Jurina felt apprehensive at the idea of what was coming up, realizing the stranger was going to have access to a certain part of her body she had never dared to show to anyone. Out of reflex, she grabbed her wrists hastily as she was about to remove her boxers next, a pair of confused eyes looking back at her instantly.

They locked eyes, Jurina realizing she was having second thoughts about this. She was about to give away her first time to a stranger – admittingly beautiful – but still a perfect stranger. Could she really do that? Did she really want to do that?

Seconds went by as she found herself terribly indecisive, her eyes never leaving those of the naked woman at her feet. An understanding smile moved to the woman’s lips as she slowly stood up – their lips touching for a fleeting moment in a short kiss – before the woman pushed her on the bed.

Jurina was startled by her action but let her proceed nevertheless, feeling herself relaxing progressively when their lips connected again in a lingering, yet never invasive kiss. When the woman broke the kiss Jurina glanced back at her in curiosity, wondering how this woman could be so different from what she had initially imagined. This moment was much sweeter than what she had expected.

“It’s normal to be nervous,” the woman’s gentle voice reached her as her digits brushed her cheek. “You can relax… I’ll take care of everything.”

Jurina didn’t know what to reply so she simply nodded, this time letting the other woman proceed as she wished when she tugged at the waistband of her underwear. When she felt her nakedness being exposed she averted her eyes, somehow refusing to witness the woman’s reaction. She just couldn’t help it; it wasn’t a part of her body she felt proud of at all. Quite the contrary.

When, after a little while, Jurina didn’t feel any movement on the bed she sneaked a peek at the woman tentatively. Contrary to her belief, there was no shock or disgust written over her face. Instead, the woman was sending her way a warm smile, her eyes not staring on what she had successfully hidden for so many years.

“I see nothing to be ashamed of,” the woman stated, moving closer to her until their lips were just inches apart. “Now, are you ready?”

 _Not really,_ Jurina wanted to retort. Being intimate with a girl was something she had wanted for many years, but having it finally happening was another matter altogether. Stopping the whole thing was still possible; and the thought crossed her mind once again. The money was resting on the bedside table; she could tell the woman she had changed her mind and ask her to leave with the money.

Did the woman see her hesitation? In any case, she didn’t give her time to voice it, as she extended her arm to switch the bedside lamp off, plunging the room into darkness instantly. Jurina’s heart hammered inside her chest as she understood what was going on, and she hastily tried to get accustomed to the dark to distinguish the girl again.

When she finally managed to see her silhouette, the woman was kissing her again, leaving brief kisses against her jawline before descending down the valley between her breasts. For a moment, Jurina wondered if she had ever done it with someone like her. The thought to ask her crossed her mind, but all questions vanished into thin air when the girl’s fingers caressed her nipples until they hardened, before reaching an area much lower.

A few light moans escaped her lips at the feeling of the woman’s expert fingers encircling her member and starting to work on it. She was nothing but gentle and slow but Jurina was way too sensitive, having too much pent-up sexual frustration asking to be released. As the seconds went by, she was starting to believe there was a real risk of not being able to reach the next step if the woman didn’t stop her action on her already hard sex.

Thankfully, the latter stopped in time, and Jurina took that opportunity to catch a glimpse at her, only to see the woman reaching for an object on the bedside table and ripping it the moment after. Jurina felt a rush of anticipation when she understood the woman had grabbed the condom she had left there earlier to her attention and was now placing it over her throbbing member carefully.

Jurina swallowed nervously when the woman’s eyes were quickly back on her, knowing there was now no turning back if she didn’t stop her very soon. But did she want to stop her? Especially when she was so close to her objective?

“I will make you feel good,” the woman murmured gently inside her ear, distracting her effectively while she was positioning herself on top of her. “Now, close your eyes, and enjoy it.”

Jurina did as she was told, soon feeling the woman’s insides enveloping her. There was no rush in the process; the woman giving her enough time to get accustomed to her body and descending very slowly until she could finally take her in fully. It was only after a little while the woman started moving, the sound of her hips moving up and down mixing with her own moans in the quiet apartment.

All sense of moral of any conflicted feelings Jurina previously had vanished, simply relishing the multiple pleasures her body was experimenting for the first time. The feeling of the walls contracting around her sex was so pleasant, it made her wonder why she had let her fear of rejection conquer her for so many years, and never succumbed to such desires before.   

Out of curiosity, Jurina opened her eyes, a rush of excitation traveling her core when she watched the woman riding her. Lips slightly apart, a soft but perceptible moan was escaping the woman’s lips as she was moving carefully on top of her. Their eyes met, a knowing smile falling on the woman’s lips when she read the desire dancing in those of Jurina’s.

Until now, Jurina had kept her hands to herself and not touched the other woman, but she suddenly couldn’t help but seize her hips when she felt like the slow rhythm didn’t suit her anymore. The woman understood the message conveyed, Jurina feeling herself getting closer and closer to her release when the woman increased the speed and moved faster on top of her.

The sound of their hips meeting each other’s as the woman moved up and down relentlessly. The feeling of her member filling and rubbing inside her womanhood. When Jurina felt her orgasm growing close and the other woman told her not to hold it, she realized she was incapable of delaying the inevitable anyway. After one last thrust, she closed her eyes, all her accumulated sexual frustration finally being released as she came inside her.  

After a little while, the other woman removed herself from her, coming to lay silently by her side. Jurina didn’t pay attention to her at first, listening to the sound of her heart progressively slowing down, and processing what she had just experienced for the first time. Regretting was the last thing on her mind in the light of all the pleasure she had just felt.

Her attention got distracted when she felt fingers caressing her chest lightly, and she tilted her head towards the woman who was watching her attentively. Even though she felt no particular attachment to that woman, she was grateful for what she had just given her. For the woman, it was just a job. But for her, it was more than that.

It was her first sexual experience, and it had been unexpectedly very pleasurable. After tonight, she felt a burst of confidence. She didn’t know when nor with who, but she wanted to believe that moment was not unique, and she was going to experience it again. This time, with someone who would have captured her heart.

“Thank you…” Jurina whispered, laying on her side to kiss her. The woman seemed startled by the words and the affectionate gesture but she didn’t say anything, moving her lips against hers as they shared a short kiss.

“There’s still some time left,” the woman murmured softly when they parted. “Once you’ve rested enough, we can try other things.”

Jurina considered her offer carefully, but soon realized her desires had been completely satisfied for the night. The woman was indeed attractive and had been unexpectedly very gentle, but she didn’t wish to proceed further.

As if the other woman had read her mind she left her side, and Jurina observed her as she grabbed her clothes quietly and moved towards the bedside table. The money was gone the moment after, replaced by a rectangular card. “I have a feeling you won’t call upon my services anymore.” The woman declared as she turned towards her with a knowing look and leaned forward to give her one last kiss. “But if you’re in need of comfort or anything else, it will be my pleasure.”

Jurina felt touched by the honesty she could distinguish in her voice, comforting her again in the choice she had made tonight by choosing her. Just as the woman was about to turn on her heels to leave the bedroom she felt she needed to add something else before she completely disappeared out of her life. Because the older woman had indeed been incredibly perceptive. This was a one-time thing.

Maybe it was a very naïve idea, and Jurina was more than conscious the woman had not done any of this out of her good heart but was merely doing her job. However, her unexpected gentle approach and understanding were something she would never forget. For one night, she had managed to make her forget completely about her difference and gave her the hope someone could someday accept her for who she was. 

In that intent, she wished to convey how grateful she was for what she had given her. The declaration left her lips naturally. “Thank you, Nana.”

The woman paused as she was about to turn the door handle, a gentle smile falling on her lips as she glanced back at her. “You’re welcome, Jurina. I know you’ll find the happiness you seek.”

After that the woman disappeared, and Jurina listened distractively as she made her way out of the apartment a few minutes later. The last words she had spoken resonated within her for a little while, hoping deep down that stranger was right. The apartment plunged into a comfortable silence again and a sigh escaped her lips in content, not resisting when her eyelids became heavier and sleep decided to claim her.


	2. Chapter 2

Jurina was not any ordinary girl: that’s something Akane soon discovered when she met the 22-year-old girl at the strip club. After now working as a stripper for a little more than two years, Akane could state she had met many and various sorts of clients. Shy, chatty, bold, confident; there was not one type of men Akane had not crossed path with at least once in her field of work. When she met Jurina, she had real difficulty placing her in one of those categories. Not only was Jurina a girl – a gender you would very rarely see visiting the club – she had that mysterious aura surrounding her that made her hard to decipher.

Jurina had been coming to the club for weeks, and always followed the same routine. As soon as she entered the place, she would occupy the same small table located in a secluded area of the club, and sip drinks while watching the girls dancing on stage. Never once since her arrival, had she done anything else but watch. Traditionally, clients would tip girls they appreciated the performance, or ask some private time with the one they favored the best. Jurina was one of the exceptions. During all this time, Akane never saw her calling a girl to her table or asked to get a private show in one of the many rooms upstairs.

Her behavior was unconventional, and Akane found herself often glancing her way, intrigued by the charming yet silent girl who always came alone at the club. One day, her curiosity led her to finally make the first step and walk to her table. The girl was definitely caught off guard by her sudden interest in her and didn’t waste time to announce she wasn’t interested in what she had to offer.

Despite the firm yet polite rejection, Akane refused to turn around. It wasn’t like her to be so insistent – she preferred letting other more seductive girls use that card on potential clients – but somehow, she wanted to pierce the secret that represented that strange visitor. In that intent, she decided to change strategy when she understood a direct approach wasn’t going anywhere and opted for a more casual conversation as she took a seat next to her.

This strategy paid off.

Her interlocutor certainly didn’t prove to be one of the most talkative clients she had met. In fact, the first nights, Akane ended up doing most of the talking. Akane could tell the other girl was quite private and was very careful with what she accepted to share about her own personal life. Nevertheless, as the weeks passed, the girl called Jurina – whom she discovered was only four years younger than her – ended up opening up to her progressively.

Since Akane started working at the club, she had established a clear line between her work and her personal feelings. Her job required of her to be flirty and friendly with her clients, and she always made sure no confusion was possible between them, and they didn’t misinterpret the nature of their relationship. With her newest feminine client, the line was sometimes a little blurry.

Jurina – who she discovered was studying architecture – was interesting, nice and sometimes even amusing. Amongst all her regular clients, she had no difficulty admitting she was the one she enjoyed spending the most time with. They talked about various subjects, amongst which Jurina’s studies, interests and hobbies, with frequent mentions of her roommate and closest friend Mayu Watanabe.

However, there was one subject in particular that made her very uncomfortable: her love life. Indeed, during all their conversations, Jurina avoided cleverly talking about it. It didn’t take long for Akane to deduce Jurina’s heart was not taken, and more than a few times she asked herself how such a thing was possible. She didn’t find anything wrong with her to justify such loneliness.

Considering how secretive Jurina proved to be, Akane ended up believing she would never discover the reason. However, everything changed that particular Saturday evening when, after far too many drinks, the beverage managed to loosen her tongue. Yes, Jurina liked to drink, but never had Akane seen her so tipsy. In fact, Akane was almost about to kindly suggest her to go home and rest, when the other girl suddenly blurted out what was troubling her mind.

Apparently, Mayu was getting really serious with someone she had met in college – a girl named Yuki – and Jurina was feeling guilty for envying her best friend’s love life so much. Akane listened to her in bewilderment, wondering why she kept repeating constantly that she was too different, and therefore would never find happiness.

Believing it was just the alcohol speaking, Akane tried to cheer her up. There was no use being so pessimistic, especially when she was still very young. She couldn’t quite recall how it happened but, at one point during her little attempt to comfort her, she felt the other girl suddenly grabbing her hand, and placing it below her waist.

Startled by the unexpected gesture, Akane was about to pull her hand away, when she felt a very unusual form underneath her palm. When she realized progressively what it was she widened her eyes and gazed back at the other girl, meeting immediately her desperate look. That’s when everything made sense.

After that night, Akane realized Jurina was even more atypical. Their next meetings could have been very awkward considering the shocking discovery she had made, but Akane didn’t find herself that bothered by Jurina’s physical difference. If you put aside that aspect of her appearance, her personality had not changed. She was still the same nice and charming person she had met a month ago.

One evening, after mulling it over in her head for several days, she decided to make Jurina an offer. It was a special service she provided to a few of her regular clients, and that went way beyond her normal activities as a stripper. Unfortunately, she didn’t make enough money just by working at the club, so it was an extra she offered to help her go through the month. No, she definitely wasn’t the only girl working at the club and providing such a service. Even though they would never advertise it out loud, it was an open secret a few of them also accepted to sleep with clients.

Akane would always remember the baffled look on Jurina’s face when she understood what she was suggesting. She was so hesitant, that it took quite some convincing to drag her into one of the rooms upstairs. When Akane indicated her to take a seat on the bed and started undressing, one simple glance at her was enough to tell the other girl was feeling a little ill-at-ease. Despite it, Akane never felt like she was forcing her. If Jurina truly didn’t want this, she wouldn’t have allowed her to insist, and would have put an end to her advances very fast.

That night, she added Jurina to her list of special clients. It wasn’t hard to guess the latter hadn’t had many sexual experiences. In fact, she was the one who did most of it, guiding her during the process and showing her what to do. When the private session was over and they laid naked side by side, Akane predicted this wasn’t going to be a one-time thing. Despite being initially a little reluctant, Jurina had warmed up progressively and in the end, had definitely enjoyed their time together.

That night was the first one of a very long list. For the following six months, this little arrangement between them continued. Akane never had a client so inexperienced before, but she didn’t mind. Jurina was a fast-learner, and in constant search of ways to improve. The younger girl always listened to every piece of advice she would give and was very attentive to the way her body reacted to her touch.

During the course of those six months, they experimented many different things. Akane never refused any request from clients, even when it came under the form of a fetishism or a sexual position she wasn’t personally fond of. However, for some reason she still couldn’t fathom, Jurina always seemed to sense her reluctance when it came to those cases, as she never asked to do it again afterwards.

Maybe that was what she appreciated the most about this specific female client. All her other clients merely paid attention to their own needs and would only stop once they were fully satisfied. Jurina was the opposite. Not only was she very considerate, she was adamant on making the pleasure mutual.

Albeit the fact Akane was pretty much used to this aspect of her personality by now, it still managed to catch her off guard from time to time. She was providing a service in exchange of money: her sole duty was to fulfill her clients’ demands obediently. Her opinion and personal dislikes were not in any way relevant. Once in the bedroom, it was mechanical, and she simply did as she was told without arguing.

When Jurina was involved, she lost her usual points of reference. The younger girl was so different from others; she made her feel respected. Sometimes, when she was even very gentle or decided to cuddle with her afterwards, it would have been easy to confuse her touch with the one of a lover.

Which they definitely weren’t and didn’t wish to be.

After all this time, the arrangement remained very clear in their heads, and no line was ever crossed. They knew exactly what to expect of the other. Akane wouldn’t go as far as state that they were friends, even though they shared many things about each other. Apart from those nightly encounters, they never saw each other in broad daylight and even less hang out. Never did her feelings get confused in her head when it came to her relationship with Jurina. They had a profound mutual respect and appreciated each other greatly, but no romantic feelings were shared.

Tonight, Jurina had requested her presence, and Akane could tell the younger girl was a little stressed about something when she passed the front door of her apartment. A brief look around the quiet place told her Jurina’s roommate was currently away, which was always the case when Jurina asked her to come.

Akane followed her to her bedroom and, as they both started to undress silently, didn’t wait further to question her in curiosity. “You’re nervous tonight. Did something happen?”

“I’m passing an exam tomorrow,” Jurina admitted with a sigh. “A quite important one.”

“I see…” Akane nodded with a knowing smile. So, that’s why she needed her tonight. She did think it was a bit unusual of her to call her in the middle of the week. Most of the time, they saw each other on Friday evenings or during the week-end, as the girl was very busy with her studies during the week.

Akane finished removing all her clothes one by one, before joining the younger girl who was already laying underneath the bedsheet and waiting for her. “Then…” Akane laid beside her, nibbling onto her earlobe teasingly. “I guess I will have to relieve you from all that… stress?”

The room plunged into darkness at once and their lips met in a hungry kiss, Akane soon understanding the younger girl had every intention of dominating the situation. The moment after, she was climbing on top of her and Akane relaxed, letting her proceed as she mapped her body with kisses and caresses.

Akane tangled her fingers into Jurina’s dark locks when she felt Jurina’s hand cupping her breast, a moan escaping her lips when she licked her sensitive bud with her tongue. Faking emotions was very common while in bed with a client; she had done it plenty of times in the past. With Jurina, she didn’t have to because she knew exactly where to touch her to bring her pleasure. One thing was for sure: she had had a very good student. No one else but Jurina could make her body react in such a pleasurable way.   

Jurina applied the same treatment to each breast, not stopping her ministrations until she felt her hardening under her touch. Once she had achieved the desired effect, Akane welcomed the lips that were capturing hers again, her fingertips travelling down the other girl’s back as their tongues rediscovered each other.

It was during those moments Akane sometimes thought it was a real shame the younger girl refused to let more people enter her life. Sometimes caring and gentle, some others more passionate and wild. No matter what attitude she harbored in bed, she paid real attention to her partner. Unfortunately, the fear of rejection was making her weary of people surrounding her. Her classmates still knew nothing of her physical difference, and she apparently had no intention of telling them.

As for the women working at the strip club, she applied the same logic. Once, Akane had suggested her to try it with another woman for a change – one who also accepted doing extras – knowing she definitely found one or two other girls attractive. She received a flat refusal. To justify herself, she answered she didn’t need to sleep with another girl of the club, as she was already plenty satisfied with her.

Her wish to be exclusive could have been really touching, but she didn’t get fooled by it. Deep down, she knew Jurina was only partially telling the truth. She didn’t want to entrust more people with her secret, because she didn’t want to take the risk of reading disgust on their face.

After a little while, the kiss was broken, and Akane fluttered her eyes open when she heard the other girl addressing her. “Are you… ready?”

The question made her pause. After all these months, it still amazed her to hear that question in particular falling from her lips. It was a pattern Jurina observed each time she was about to move to the next level. The first nights, she had to admit the question was welcomed, considering the younger girl was still very inexperienced, and had the tendency of going way too fast.

But didn’t the majority of her clients jumped immediately to the good part anyway, forgetting along the way the importance of foreplay for their partner?

“You already know the answer,” Akane whispered back and caressed Jurina’s cheek, a smile spreading across Jurina’s features instantly.

Their lips connected for another short kiss, before Akane felt the younger girl maneuvering on top of her and slipping her member inside her sex. She didn’t wait very long to make a few slow thrusts, Akane’s body getting accustomed to the intrusion progressively. When she felt Akane gradually loosening up and adjusting to her member, Jurina’s rhythm eventually increased.

Akane’s arms tightened their hold around Jurina’s neck, her soft moans filling the air as the younger girl kept moving inside her at a steady rhythm. Each thrust was perfectly measured and controlled; result of all the experience she had acquired with her these last six months. The first awkward and clumsy nights together were far long gone. Jurina didn’t need her guidance anymore; she knew exactly what she was doing.

In another life, Akane was convinced she would have made a very good lover.

Akane never dared making any request to clients. They were the ones in charge; her sole role was to follow their lead without a word. However, she knew she could sometimes afford to cross the line when Jurina was involved. The latter’s wish to make the pleasure mutual was always conspicuous. Much as she limited selfish requests, she didn’t hesitate any longer slipping the demand inside Jurina’s ear when the rhythm didn’t quite suit her anymore. 

Akane knew her request got accepted when she felt the younger girl thrusting harder and faster inside her. The pace never weakening, Akane could feel her orgasm growing inside her progressively. It was now a matter of time until she would reach her peak, an information Jurina received well when she felt walls clenching tightly around her sex a few seconds later.

It was quite unusual, but this time Akane was the first to climax. The older girl didn’t try and process why their roles were surprisingly reversed tonight, instead focusing on helping her partner reach the similar objective. A few harder thrusts did the trick, and the mattress stopped shifting as she came inside her.

When she nuzzled her head into her neck to muffle a cry, Akane caressed her hair with affection. Jurina rested her weight on top of her for a little while, until her member slowly softened inside her, and she lifted herself to lay beside her. A comfortable silence enveloped them, Akane’s features darkening progressively when she realized this was probably their last time together.

A few days ago, she had received an unexpected news: her father had fallen very sick. Her parents both lived in Osaka, and – even though she wasn’t on the best terms with her family – Akane didn’t wish to let her mother deal with the difficult situation alone. After all, she was their only child. That’s why she had made the decision of leaving her current life in Tokyo behind, and move to Osaka. Would it be permanent or not? Akane still didn’t have a clue. However, she knew the circumstances were going to take her away from Tokyo for a very long period of time.

“I’ll miss you...”

Akane tilted her head in surprise at the sound of Jurina’s voice, noting her brown orbs staring back at her. Frankly, there were not many things she was going to miss from her former life in Tokyo. These last two years, she had been working as a stripper at the club. Much as she didn’t mind working there, she couldn’t say she was particularly fond of the job either.

Friends? There was no one she could call as such. She didn’t have any problem with her co-workers, and a few of them were really nice, but their relationship remained strictly professional.

In fact, much as she mulled it over in her head, she realized the girl currently facing her was probably the person she felt the closest to these last six months. After all this time, she still had difficulty describing the nature of their relationship. She wasn’t just a simple client; but she wasn’t a friend or a lover either. So, what were they?

In the end, Akane realized it didn’t really matter. During all that time spent together, she had given the younger girl what she was in the capacity to offer. More than anything, she hoped Jurina would allow herself to open up to more people once she would have left. Because, as she leaned forward and brushed her lips against hers in a tender kiss, she believed her to be completely worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

This Saturday, it was almost midnight when Jurina followed Mayu inside The Blue Moon, and they took a seat at a table near the stage. Her eyes followed with little interest the stripper currently dancing on stage, wondering why on earth her best friend had thought it was a brilliant idea – after celebrating her twenty-third birthday at a fancy restaurant – to finish the day at a strip club.  

Jurina placed her lips against the tip of her bottle of beer and took a quick sip, a small sigh leaving her lips as she directed her attention towards her best friend who was watching the girl undressing on stage. More than once, she had tried to change her mind about coming here, but Mayu wanted to hear none of it.

“Remind me. Why did you want to take a table so close to the stage?”

Jurina had done her best to stay quiet since they entered the club half an hour ago, but she couldn’t help it anymore. Not only had she not come to the club recently – somehow not finding the place appealing anymore since Akane had left for Osaka three months ago – her best friend had rejected the idea when she had suggested to occupy her usual table, situated in a quiet, secluded area of the club.

Sure, this new table offered a great view of the stage, but Jurina never liked being in the spotlights.

“To enjoy the show,” Mayu replied casually, her eyes not leaving the girl who had just finished her performance and was now leaving the stage. “It’s a mystery how you can see properly from so far.”

Jurina let out another sigh, leaning her back against the red leather sofa. “You never came to the club before. Why tonight?”

“Why not?” Mayu shrugged. “Maybe I wanted to see for myself the place my best friend has been coming to so often?”

“I haven’t been coming here in a while,” Jurina reminded her. “Not since–”

“I know,” Mayu nodded. “Not since Akane left. Well, maybe it’s time you start coming back to this place.”

Jurina arched an eyebrow, her beer pausing a few inches away from her lips as she was about to take another sip. “What?”

“I know you miss her,” Mayu replied, tilting her head towards her. “But you have been quite stressed, and also a little moody these past months. I’m sure there are other interesting girls, here.”

Jurina gaped at her friend, now understanding what her objective was by bringing them here. “Are you telling me you used your birthday as an excuse to lure me into this place? Because you knew I couldn’t refuse you anything today?”

Mayu’s lips tugged into a wry smile. “What if I did?”

Jurina stared back at her in shock. So this was a set up? Vaguely, she registered in the background a male voice announcing on the speaker the arrival of the next stripper, but she didn’t pay attention to anything he was saying. “Mayu, I’m not looking for a replacement to Akane.”

“Alright,” Mayu replied, a little too fast for her liking. “Then we’re just here to have a good time.”

Jurina didn’t really want to stay here, but it appeared her best friend truly had no intention of leaving, given the fact her attention was now directed on the stage as the music for the next show was starting to play in the air. Nevertheless, she refused to relent quite yet. “You really don’t want us to go to a bar or something?”

“No,” was Mayu’s swift reply to her suggestion. “I’m totally fine here.”

Jurina groaned at her incredible stubbornness, guessing it was no use insisting when she didn’t detect an ounce of hesitation in her friend’s voice. Her gaze fell distractedly on the stage, watching the new girl who had just appeared.

Jurina could recognize every girl working at this strip club – perks of being a regular customer for so many months – but her eyes widened slightly in surprise when she realized she had never seen before the girl currently moving around the vertical pool.

A slightly pale face without much makeup to speak of, just some subtle eyeliner enhancing her small brown eyes. Long straight black hair falling down her shoulders, with a fringe carefully adjusted to the right side. A black leather jacket closed at the front, along with a skirt of matching color falling just above her knee. And, to complete the outfit, black stockings covering her legs and falling down to a pair of short, black boots.

Jurina found her curiosity piqued, somehow incapable to tear her eyes away from the girl dancing on stage, and in rhythm with the song.

She exuded such self-confidence and fresh sensuality. Jurina had watched plenty of strip shows before, but there was just something different about this new girl. Yes, her keen eyes didn’t fail to detect her moves were less mastered than with other girls; obvious sign she was a beginner.  

However, she easily made up for her flaws with a natural charm. Her technique might not be irreproachable, she was definitely clever enough to know how to attract her audience’s attention. And, right now, there wasn’t a single pair of eyes not set on the girl swaying her hips suggestively along the energetic rhythm of the daring lyrics.

 _Omae ga te ni hairu nara - When it comes to you gaining something_  
_Akuma to torihiki shiyou - It's like dealing with the devil_  
_Nani ga nani ga nani ga hoshii? - What is it, what is it, what is it you want?_  
_Watashi no kono kuchibiru ka? - These lips of mine?_  
_Soretomo konna karada ka? - Or this sort of body?_  
_Nani wo nani wo nani wo nozomu? - What is it, what is it, what is it you desire?_

Despite the music playing loudly in the club, Jurina couldn’t ignore the feeling of her heart beating a little faster inside her chest. Her fingers were still circling the bottle of beer resting on the table in front of her, but she never brought it to her lips once. Her eyes were glued on the stripper dancing on stage, mesmerized, following every single move she made. In an instant, she had completely forgotten all about her surroundings.

And the stripper still hadn’t even removed a single piece of clothing, yet.

Her focused small brown eyes that were looking in the distance and made sure to never fall on any client of the club. Her fingers sliding down her body in a seductive way. There was such passion in her dance, it almost looked like she was in a trance, as if the character she was playing had purely and simply inhabited her and was controlling every single move she made.

“Aren’t strippers supposed to remove their clothes?” Mayu broke the silence.

The dancer had put her under such a spell, it took a few seconds for Jurina to realize her best friend had just addressed her and a few other ones to fully process her question. A small amused smile moved to her lips at the confusion in Mayu’s voice, remembering it was indeed the very first time her best friend was – not only visiting this strip club – but any strip club for all that. While her attention was still focused on the dancer, the answer left her lips with assurance. “Oh, she will. In a moment…”

Not long after she had uttered those words, the girl placed her fingers at the top of her jacket, unzipping it slowly and progressively, soon revealing she wasn’t wearing anything underneath except for a transparent black lace bra. Once it was unzipped all the way to the bottom, the stripper didn’t remove her jacket quite yet, her fingers playing maliciously with the opening of her jacket while she was dancing, acting as if she wanted to take it off but always changing her mind at the last minute.

She repeated her teasing game a few times, before finally giving in to the audience’s deepest desires. Moving towards the chair waiting for her at the front of the stage she slipped down into it and removed her jacket entirely, disregarding it aside the moment after. Once she was done with that piece of clothing, she bent slightly over to remove her boots, before moving her hands upwards towards the skirt still covering the lower part of her body.

This time, she didn’t try to tease her audience, instead unzipping her skirt all the way down and sliding it down her legs. With only her underwear and stockings on the stripper resumed her dancing and stood up from the chair gradually, never forgetting to make along the way a few lascivious poses to the audience.

 _God, she is so beautiful_.

Throat and mouth parched, Jurina’s eyes travelled down the stripper’s body, taking in every little detail offered to her. Now, she was more than grateful for Mayu’s wish to be positioned so close to the stage. The stripper was dancing only a few feet away from her, and she could admire her slim curves freely, relishing the way her body was moving sensuously along with the Japanese song.

There was no more denying the powerful, hypnotic effect the girl was having on her. Jurina didn’t try to understand why this girl in particular had suddenly caught her attention; nor why she found herself incapable of detaching her eyes from her. As the seconds transformed into minutes, Jurina suddenly wished she had the ability to freeze time and for this performance to never end. 

When the music faded in the background and a male voice announced the end of the show, Jurina came back to her senses, disappointment crossing her features. This time, she was very attentive when the male voice spoke up on the speaker. There was a certain piece of information she was very interested in having and she had previously missed.

“And this sexy performance was presented to you by one of our new girls, Gekikara. I hope you enjoyed the show!”

Jurina immediately imprinted the girl’s stage name in her head, her eyes following the girl’s silhouette who was moving towards the back of the stage, before completely disappearing out of sight. “Gekikara…”

A few minutes later, a new girl was already replacing her on stage, but Jurina didn’t manage to get herself invested in her performance. In fact, she quickly diverted her attention to her drink again, finally satisfying her thirst with a few appreciated long sips of her beer. From her peripheral vision, she could see the girl dancing on stage, but not once did she steal a glance at her, her mind filled with thoughts of the previous, breathtakingly beautiful long dark-haired girl.

Images of Gekikara’s performance kept flashing in her head constantly, and Jurina easily guessed she was unfortunately going to have a hard time forgetting about Gekikara after such a spellbinding performance.

“What if I bought you a private dance?” Mayu’s voice jolted her out of her reverie, and Jurina stared back at her instantly.

As she was processing the astonishing offer she had just made, she saw Mayu not waiting for her reply and already waving at a waitress – catching the attention of the 20-year-old long, brown-haired Anna – slipping a few words inside her ear as the latter approached. Jurina didn’t even have time to react that the familiar waitress was now turning towards her and smiling at her gently. “Follow me, Jurina. I’ll bring you upstairs to her.”

“Wait–” Jurina retorted, her eyes flickering back to her best friend when she understood she had truly put words into action. “Mayu… I know I wasn’t excited to come here in the first place, but we can stay a little longer if you wish. Why not order a few more drinks and just enjoy the shows?”

“I only want to give you a little present.” Mayu reached across the table to take Jurina’s hand. “And I think deep down, it will do you some real good. Please accept?”

Just as Jurina was about to open her mouth to refuse, she got interrupted by the feeling of Anna’s hand resting on her shoulder and giving it a light caress. “You haven’t come here in a while. I know you used to be exclusive with Akane, but I’m sure you’ll have a good time.”

Jurina stared at her in incredulity, not believing the young waitress who had never dared to force her into anything or contradict her until now, was unexpectedly taking sides with her best friend on that matter. Not only was she right: she had never occupied one of those rooms upstairs with anyone else but Akane, she wasn’t really in the mood for a lap dance. Somehow, she still couldn’t forget the captivating performance of a certain new stripper…

Jurina’s eyes widened in realization. What if that’s exactly what she needed tonight to get her out of her system?

Mayu was gazing at her in expectation when she set her eyes back on her, her friend’s mouth tugging into a pleased smile when she silently nodded in approval. Fingers squeezed hers briefly before retracting, her best friend suddenly sounding a little too excited about the prospect when she winked at her playfully. “Go on, you’ll thank me later.”

 

* * *

 

When she entered one of the private rooms of the club, it took Jurina quite a while to get adjusted to the dim light. At the sound of Anna’s voice behind her back, she glanced back at her briefly, nodding in understanding when the younger woman motioned the chair waiting for her in the middle of the room. The moment after, the waitress was closing the door behind her carefully, and Jurina did as instructed.

As she made herself comfortable into the dark leather chair, she momentarily wondered which girl was going to perform the lap dance. Without even realizing it, her thoughts soon drifted to Gekikara, and a small sigh left her lips when she realized how much the other girl truly had affected her. If the girl who was about to give her a lap dance wished to help her forget about her, then she better be very good.

At the sound of soft footsteps on the floor, she jumped a little, raising her gaze when she detected she wasn’t alone in the room as she initially believed. As her eyes were still getting accustomed to the partial darkness, she now distinguished a feminine silhouette at the far end of the room.

The moment after, music was enveloping them and Jurina squinted, trying to identify the girl who was slowly walking towards her. When the dim light finally fell on her and revealed her identity, Jurina froze. 

_No._

_It can’t be her._

Jurina opened her mouth to speak but words desperately refused to come out, not believing the unexpected view in front of her. Even though she hadn’t stopped thinking about that girl from the moment she laid eyes on her, she was the last person on earth she expected to see in that room. When the girl straddled her lap and fingers caressed her cheek gently, Jurina couldn’t help but shudder. “Hi… My name is Gekikara. And you?”

Jurina heard the question well, but she was still having a hard time processing what was happening to utter a single thing. There were a dozen of strippers working at the club; she could have received a dance from anyone of them. What were the odds of Mayu buying her a lap dance with that girl in particular? How such a coincidence was possible?

Wait.

Gradually, things became way clearer. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced it was the precise reason why her friend had offered to buy her a lap dance. At the time, it truly seemed out of the blue. Now, it looked more like a carefully elaborated plan. One thing was certain; she held no more secrets for her roommate and best friend Mayu Watanabe.

Given the identity of the girl currently sitting on top of her, Jurina concluded her interest for the new stripper had not escaped her friend’s keen attention.  

“Is everything… alright?” The girl’s soft voice brought Jurina’s attention back to her, guessing by her curious expression that her behavior might have appeared a little odd. Composing herself, she finally answered. “Jurina. My name is Jurina.”

“Well, Jurina…” the stripper murmured, her breath tickling Jurina’s skin as her lips drew closer to her ear. “I’m all yours.”

When the stripper removed herself from her lap and took a step back, Jurina immediately regretted the loss of contact. Her eyes never left the feminine form as she started dancing sensually in front of her, trailing her fingers down her neck, chest and abs along with the explicit lyrics of the music.

 _Dakishimete dakishimete - Hold tight, hold tight_  
_Furuete iru no kono karada - This trembling body_  
_Seifuku wo nugaseru mae ni - Before you take off my uniform_  
_Mou ichido dake - Tell me that you love me_  
_Suki da to itte - One more time_  
_Dakishimete dakishimete - Embrace me, embrace me_  
_Sukoshi zutsu kiss wo shi nagara - While we are kissing_  
_Ichijiku no kawa muku you ni - Like peeling the skin of a fig_  
_Yasashiku shite - Do it gently_  
_Mahou no yubi de - With your magic fingers_

Jurina swallowed hard, her breathing more unsteady when she watched the stripper removing her clothes one by one. In a matter of seconds, she had already disregarded her leather jacket and her skirt and was only wearing her transparent black lace bra and a G-string when she reduced the small distance separating them and positioned herself on top of her.

Gripping firmly on the armchair, Jurina now realized the dangerous situation she was facing. Oblivious to her conflicted feelings, the stripper was rocking her hips at the rhythm of the song, her center rubbing even so slightly against her legs. If she realized the effect she was having on her, then she didn’t show it, grinding against her again, again and again.

Jurina fluttered her eyes close and pressed her lips tightly together, trying to suppress the darkest needs that were surfacing. It was taking her all the self-restraint in the world to keep her hands away from Gekikara, well aware it was forbidden to touch a stripper when she was performing a lap dance. Until now, she never had to care for such rules, given the fact she never followed them a single time with Akane.

When she could map at length Akane’s body with caresses and kisses, such gestures were not permitted here. Gekikara was not Akane: she couldn’t give her what she desired the most right now. And, as Jurina opened her eyes and marveled at the incredible beauty of the girl dancing half naked on top of her, she also realized the latter had no idea who she truly was.

Or to be more accurate, _what_ she was.

When the stripper moved her hand behind her back in the obvious intent of unclasping her bra, Jurina was conscious she couldn’t let her proceed any further. A part of her already regretted what she was about to say, but she knew she had to intervene while she still had an ounce of lucidity left in her. “Stop. I want you to stop.”

The stripper ceased all movements, her small brown orbs falling on her instantly. “I’m sorry… You want what?”

“I can’t let you continue,” Jurina said slowly, looking away despite herself. “Please get off me.”

Jurina expected the stripper to oblige and remove herself but to her surprise, she felt not a single move above her. Taken aback by the unexpected lack of cooperation she gazed back at her, guessing by the stripper’s confused look she had been completely caught off guard by her demand.

“You did nothing wrong,” Jurina tried to reassure her. “My friend bought me this lap dance, but it was a bad idea.”

When the stripper still showed no sign of wanting to stand up Jurina had no choice but to seize her hips, the gesture visibly switching a flip inside the girl as she nodded and finally complied. Jurina released a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding, relieved when the stripper put a little distance between them, enabling her to remove herself from the chair. Jurina observed the stripper who was retrieving her clothes from the floor, their eyes meeting again when the stripper noticed in surprise she still had not left yet.

They locked gaze silently for a little while and, as Jurina finally exited the room, she knew those enchanting small brown orbs were going to haunt her for the rest of the night. 


	4. Chapter 4

This Saturday morning, Jurina was having a hard time fully enjoying her breakfast, because of a certain very attractive long, dark-haired stripper who stubbornly refused to leave her mind in peace. Jurina placed her chopsticks aside, a small sigh leaving her lips in defeat. It had now been two weeks since she visited The Blue Moon with her best friend Mayu, and Gekikara’s spellbinding performance was still vividly engraved inside her head.

No matter how many times Jurina kept repeating to herself she needed to forget about her, Gekikara’s image always submerged her mind with great ease, and way too frequently for her liking.

“Are you finally going to the strip club tonight?” A feminine voice distracted her from her musing.

Jurina blinked, staring back at her roommate who was sitting opposite her at the kitchen table, and casually mixing with the rice the egg she had just cracked inside her bowl. “What? Why would I go back there?”

“To see her,” Mayu replied and rolled her eyes dramatically, as if she had just asked the stupidest question ever. “I’m pretty sure you haven’t stopped thinking about that new stripper.”

Jurina widened her eyes in stupefaction. Since their visit to the strip club, she had carefully made sure not to mention Gekikara to her best friend. It wasn’t because she wasn’t thinking about the new stripper – quite the contrary – but precisely because she was desperately attempting to put that encounter behind her. Somehow, she guessed her best friend would never let it go if she confessed the new stripper had been monopolizing all her thoughts.  

Well, it appeared her effort to keep it a secrecy was much futile. In the end, she truly couldn’t hide much from her perceptive best friend.

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t let her finish the lap dance…” Mayu mused.

Jurina fidgeted in her seat nervously. Oh yes, Mayu had definitely been startled to see her leaving the private room before the time was up, not failing to pepper her with questions when they made their way back to the apartment. Jurina was left with no other choice but to satiate her curiosity, although she cleverly made sure to leave a few details out. No matter how close they were, Mayu didn’t need to know absolutely everything.

Especially not the true impact and very dangerous effects Gekikara’s lascivious lap dance had on a certain lower part of her body…

“Anyway...” Jurina figured out her friend was unfortunately not done with the subject yet when she pointed her chopsticks at her. “I haven’t seen you showing interest in someone in several months. You should go back to the club tonight. You know, to make _better_ acquaintance with her.”

Jurina growled. Given her friend’s mischievous expression and sexual undertones, it was more than crystal clear what plans Mayu had elaborated in her head for her. “Gekikara is not Akane. She doesn’t offer those kinds of special… services.”

“How do you know?” Mayu retorted. “You haven’t even asked her.”

“I just know.” Mayu’s persistence was getting slightly annoying, but she was not ready to relent. “And what makes you think I want to sleep with her in the first place?”

“Oh come on,” Mayu laughed. “I’m not blind. You couldn’t detach your eyes from her the whole time. You clearly find her attractive.”

Jurina heaved a heavy sigh, burying her face in her hands in despair when she sensed she was not going to win that little argument. “Can we just… not talk about her? I’m trying to move on, and you’re not helping right now.”

“Move on?” Mayu snorted. “You’re interested in her: don’t even try to deny it. That’s why I’m telling you to stop torturing yourself and go back to the club. That’s the best advice your adorable and caring best friend can give you.”

Jurina leaned back into her chair and glared at her, wishing she could wipe off that silly smug expression of hers. Mayu pretended not to notice anything and continued to eat, a little voice soon emerging inside Jurina’s head as silence enveloped them. A voice telling her that Mayu’s advice might not be completely absurd after all.

Frankly, she had a few times thought of going back to the club. Not only because the pull to see Gekikara again was getting harder to resist day by day, but also because she wished to apologize for her behavior. A part of her still felt guilty for the way she had pushed Gekikara away, fearing her rejection had been wrongly misinterpreted by the stripper newly recruited by the club.

That day, she had assured the stripper she wasn’t in cause, but she wasn’t sure her words managed to convince her successfully. After going to the club for almost a year, it was evident to her that Gekikara was not only a new girl, but also a beginner. The last thing she wanted, was to make her insecure by believing she had made an inexcusable mistake during the lap dance.

Jurina was quite conscious the girl’s identity was the main reason for her internal debate. If it had been any other stripper of the club, she probably wouldn’t have worried so much about the consequences of her actions. Yet, this wasn’t any random girl. Gekikara wasn’t just captivating; she had a special aura that rendered her quite unique.

A small smile moved to Jurina’s lips when she discovered her conversation with Mayu had unexpectedly managed to tilt the scale. Her mind was now made up. Tonight, she was going to return to The Blue Moon.

 

* * *

 

The Blue Moon was not too crowded yet when Jurina entered the familiar strip club a little after 11 p.m., enabling her to occupy her favorite table located in a quiet area of the club, away from prying eyes. When Anna approached her table, she ordered out of habit the usual before inquiring about Gekikara, a little disappointed when the latter informed her the designated stripper had not arrived yet.

Jurina had a clear goal in mind tonight, and she didn’t hesitate to convey her intention to spend some time with the stripper. Oh no, she certainly didn’t wish for another lap dance. The close contact with the half-naked stripper didn’t work out too well for her last time, unleashing strong physical reactions. That’s why she opted instead for a much safer solution, in the form of a casual conversation at her table. A neutral place would also enable her to accomplish her primary objective: apologize properly for her past behavior.

While waiting for Gekikara’s arrival patiently, her gaze wandered around the room mind-absently **–** easily recognizing a few regular clients of the club – before setting her attention on the stripper currently dancing on stage. The girl with long, brown hair who she immediately recognized as Haruna or _Nyan Nyan_ **–** one of the oldest strippers of the club **–** was from far the most popular girl of the club.

The 29-year-old stripper had a flawless body without blemish, easily seducing the male audience of the club. Graceful silhouette, well-formed breasts, long, slender legs. Each night, Nyan Nyan delivered with great success very sexy yet classy performances, that left no one indifferent. If truth be told, Haruna wasn’t really her type, yet it didn’t mean she was blind. Jurina acknowledged her assets willingly and understood perfectly why she appealed to so many clients.

In fact, she was utterly convinced that woman had all it required to become one day one of those beautiful models you saw in fashion magazines.

When the show ended, Jurina fell deep into her thoughts, trying to figure out the best way to handle things with Gekikara. Once she would have apologized, she had no intention on staying much longer at the club. Gekikara had an undeniable bewitching charm, and she figured it was wiser to cautiously keep her distance with her after that.  

“Hello Jurina...” A smooth voice made her look up, and she glanced instantly at the long, dark-haired stripper smiling at her and standing by the table. That précised girl who had been monopolizing all her thoughts these last two weeks and had those beautiful small brown eyes she found so alluring. “Anna said you wanted to see me?”  

“Yes,” Jurina nodded, her eyes not leaving the girl who was taking a seat by her side on the red sofa. Frankly, she was relieved Gekikara was fully dressed right now. Her mere presence already offered enough distraction as it was, given the sound of her slightly accelerated heartbeats.

“How are you?” Gekikara spoke up softly. “I’m surprised to see you... I didn’t think you would want to spend some time with me again after what happened.”

Jurina widened her eyes in surprise. “You remember me?”

“Of course. It’s not every day I have a female client,” Gekikara replied, a small amused smile forming on her lips. “Besides, you were quite memorable. I never had anyone leave the room right in the middle of a lap dance before.”

Jurina tensed, looking away in unease at the embarrassing reminder of what she had done. “About that…” Jurina started hesitantly. “My friend caught me by complete surprise when she bought me a lap dance, and I wasn’t expecting it to be… you.”

“You would have preferred another girl?” Gekikara frowned a little. “But… I clearly remember Anna informing me the client wanted me and no other girl.”

Jurina tilted her head towards her, noting her confusion. Obviously, she couldn’t reveal the whole truth, yet she didn’t feel like lying to her either. “Yes, my friend chose you on purpose. I think she could see how much I had enjoyed your performance on stage.”

“You enjoyed it?” Gekikara drew closer on the sofa, casually slipping her hand into Jurina’s to lace their fingers together. “Why did you leave the room, then?”

Jurina shuddered at the sudden physical contact. If she didn’t know any better, then she could easily believe Gekikara had done this job all her life. The charming smiles, the gradual proximity, the touching… If Gekikara was attempting to seduce her to obtain more of her later, then she was definitely following the right steps.

Jurina didn’t want to mislead Gekikara into believing she had something against her, yet she judged it wiser to break the contact for her own sake. Slowly, she pulled her fingers away from her grasp, directing her attention towards her beer to take a sip. The stripper had now fallen very quiet by her side, but Jurina was much aware of the small brown orbs watching her attentively.

Jurina’s thoughts drifted towards her previous question, one she had not answered yet. Why did she leave the private room that day? The answer was actually quite simple; yet she couldn’t say it.

At the club, Akane was the only stripper to ever be aware of her physical difference. She wasn’t even supposed to discover the truth in the first place; it was only the result of her drunken state that night. A moment she wasn’t truly proud of, and that was unfortunately still vividly engraved in her memory. Jurina very rarely got drunk, but she always disliked the way alcohol made her lower her guards down, loosening her tongue so effectively. “There are certain things you don’t know about me…”

Much as Akane had thankfully not rejected her and unexpectedly even accepted her difference, she didn’t wish to take more chances. Especially not with the person she was currently having a conversation with. “I came here tonight because I l felt bad about the way I reacted.” Jurina decided it was best to change the subject. “I know you are new here, and I didn’t want you to believe you behaved inappropriately or did something wrong.”

When her words were met with silence, Jurina looked back at her in curiosity. Gekikara’s surprise was manifest, yet her mouth soon tugged into a pleased smile. “I appreciate you telling me all this. I really do. To be honest, I did wonder if I had not offended you in some way, so it relieves me to know it wasn’t the case.”

“I’m sorry…” Gekikara’s declaration made her realize her behavior had truly given the wrong impression. Now, she really wished it hadn’t taken her so long to muster up her courage to see Gekikara again, and she had come to the club sooner to right the wrongs.

“Let’s not think about that anymore,” Gekikara’s soothing voice brought her attention back to her. She was a little startled when Gekikara initiated physical contact again yet didn’t do more this time than giving her hand just a brief squeeze, retracting her fingers immediately after that. “I asked a little about you and was told you were a regular of the club but suddenly stopped coming a few months ago. How come?”

“You asked questions about me?” Jurina repeated, stunned by the revelation.

“Well, after what happened in that room, you intrigued me,” Gekikara confessed. “I hope… you don’t mind?”

Jurina didn’t say anything, still processing the fact she had been the unpredictable object of the girl’s curiosity. In truth, when she entered the club tonight, she even half expected the stripper to have all forgotten about her by now. How many clients had she seen since their last encounter? How many people had requested a private session with her? Yes, Gekikara was one of the new girls, yet Jurina had no doubt her popularity would grow in no time.

When Jurina noticed the small concerned look Gekikara was giving her, she realized she was somewhat still expecting an answer to her previous question. Gekikara’s interest in her was slightly disconcerting, but she concluded it was probably her own way of knowing more about potential customers. And, along the way, securing their loyalty more effectively. “It’s alright.” Jurina shook her head at her. “I don’t mind.”

The words were quite simple, yet Jurina didn’t miss the way the stripper seemed instantly more relaxed, a smile soon spreading across her face.  

After that, they didn’t talk about that embarrassing private session anymore, engaging instead into a light, casual conversation. Jurina shared about her daily life and her studies, answering freely to the questions she was asked. More than a few times, Jurina found Gekikara’s interest in her a little too sincere. When such an occurrence happened, she brushed it off as a figment of her imagination, reminding herself the stripper was only doing her job by making sure the conversation flowed naturally between them.

Jurina didn’t know how much time passed. To be honest, she didn’t expect to spend such a good time in Gekikara’s presence. Gekikara wasn’t just the beautiful stripper who had easily put her under a spell with a mesmerizing performance. During the whole time their conversation lasted, she proved to also be an educated and eloquent person, always having a very interesting point of view on many, different subjects.

Two bottles of beer had already been emptied when Anna approached their table, distracting the both of them. Jurina watched in curiosity as the waitress leaned over to whisper a few words inside Gekikara’s ear, leaving once her message had been successfully delivered. Somehow, Jurina sensed her time with Gekikara had come to an end.

“I’m sorry, but I need to get prepared for my show on stage.” Gekikara shot her an apologetic look, unfortunately confirming her predictions.

Jurina nodded silently, trying her best to hide her disappointment. Her eyes followed the other girl who was getting up from the sofa, feeling the immediate void within her at the empty space beside her. Out of curiosity, she checked the time on her phone, her eyes widening in stupor when she noticed it was already nearing 1 a.m. She had been talking with Gekikara… for more than an hour?

When Jurina observed from her peripheral vision that the stripper had not completely left yet, she immediately looked up to her. She didn’t have time to speak that Gekikara was leaning forward, reaching across the table to take her hand. “I know you said you didn’t wish to come back to the club after tonight, but it would make me very happy if you reconsidered.”

Caught off guard by the hand that was refusing to let go of hers, a little voice inside Jurina’s head warned her not to fall for the stripper’s invitation and seductive tone. It was only an act; she repeated to herself. Gekikara was only attempting to add her to her list of regular clients by making her feel desired and important.

Her better judgment was telling her not to come back on her initial decision. She had apologized and fulfilled her objective. Now, she absolutely needed to stay away from the strip club, especially the dangerously attractive Gekikara. Yet, she couldn’t ignore what her heart truly yearned for. She didn’t want that moment to be the last. She wanted badly to see Gekikara again.

Relishing the pleasant, soft feeling of Gekikara’s fingers inside hers, the words left her lips naturally. “Alright… I’ll come back.”


	5. Chapter 5

Since that Saturday evening Jurina went to The Blue Moon to apologize, she came back to see Gekikara every week-end. Her evenings at the club followed an impeccable routine: same table, same drink and same time of arrival. While taking sips of her bottle of Kirin, her eyes would follow inattentively the girls’ performances on stage, none of them never managing to compete in her mind with the one she always longed to see.  

The moment Gekikara stepped on stage, everything evaporated around her. Her eyes glued on the enchanting stripper, she watched her shows with undivided attention, relishing every bit and second of them. After witnessing so many of her performances, she couldn’t possibly miss out the gradual improvements in her technique. The girl, who was only a beginner a few months ago, had now nothing to envy of the more experienced strippers of the club.

Albeit the fact Jurina considered herself as one of her regulars by now, she was well conscious she was far from her best client. It was no secret strippers earned the most when they managed to bring a customer in one of those VIP rooms upstairs, and Jurina never allowed such a thing to happen with her. Needless to say, Gekikara tried to persuade her anew when she came back the second week.

Jurina didn’t hold it against her for trying – it was how she made a living, after all – but never gave in, no matter how very convincing the clever stripper proved to be with her subtle touches and charming smiles that never left her indifferent. After the second refusal, Gekikara understood insisting was of no use, and she never brought up the subject anymore.

If truth be told, Jurina feared the stripper wouldn’t take lightly another rejection **–** concluding she was wasting her time with her – and would decide to shift her attention to other more lucrative prospects. To her relief, it didn’t alter their relationship in the slightest, as Gekikara still kept coming back to see her after that.

At first, Jurina was the one to take the initiative of addressing a waitress and informing her of her desire to see Gekikara. Without fail, the stripper would come to her table as soon as she was available. Little by little, their routine changed. After a month, she didn’t need to request Gekikara’s presence anymore, as the stripper would somehow always notice her entering the club, and naturally join her without even her asking.

Each time Gekikara was requested for a private session and had to unexpectedly leave her side, Jurina never protested, always nodding back at her with a smile of understanding. As soon as she was gone, another reality emerged. The immediate void she felt at her absence betrayed her emotions, and she cursed herself more than once for the way she felt deep inside.

She never behaved in such a way with Akane. Not once did Jurina feel bothered when the latter had to cut short their conversation to join another client, understanding perfectly well that **–** not only she wasn’t her only customer **–** she also had a job to do. When Gekikara was concerned, she was being unusually irrational. No matter how hard she tried to suppress those feelings, they unfortunately never went away.

From the start, she knew she should have put some good distance with Gekikara. Her better judgment had warned her not to come back to the club. More than once. But she hadn’t listened, walking through that door again and again. As days transformed into weeks and weeks became months, her interest for the beautiful long, dark-haired stripper still hadn’t diminished.

Gekikara had a strong, magnetic effect on her.

One that she found utterly impossible to resist.  

 

* * *

 

It had now been almost two months since Jurina started coming again to The Blue Moon on a regular basis. That Saturday evening in particular, her attention was entirely monopolized by a disturbing scene happening a few tables away between Gekikara and an athletic Japanese man with straight, short blond hair. Generally, when the stripper was occupied with another client, Jurina only checked the guy briefly to make sure he was behaving decently, before looking away once she judged him harmless.

In that case, she couldn’t possibly detach her eyes from the client drawing each time closer and closer to the stripper on the sofa, finding him way too pushy. One thing was certain; it wasn’t one of Gekikara’s regulars. Jurina was very good at remembering faces, and she was absolutely positive she had never seen that guy who looked in his late twenties visiting the club before.

The client, who had a very wandering hand, was definitely not subtle or shy when it came to demonstrating his attraction to her, the stripper being forced to politely brush his hands away each time he became a little too touchy.

“I can’t believe this,” Jurina muttered under her breath, his impossible behavior starting to really irk her. Until now, Gekikara was handling the situation professionally, keeping her calm despite how annoyingly persistent he proved to be. 

At last, the man relented at the fourth rejection and – even though he stayed in the stripper’s personal space – didn’t try to lay his hand on her after that. The situation now seemed to be under control, Jurina observed as they continued to talk for quite a while, but she couldn’t forget what she had just witnessed. That’s why she grew a little concerned when she saw them suddenly getting up from the table and moving towards the direction of the upper floor.

Jurina nibbled on her lower lip, her fingers clenching her half-emptied bottle of beer as she reflected upon what she had seen. A part of her wanted to believe she was only being over-protective, when another couldn’t help but be alarmed by the client’s previous behavior. After mulling it over in her head again and again, she decided she absolutely needed to assess for herself that Gekikara had not fallen into the wrong hands.  

Her mind made up, she left her drink aside and stood up from the couch, walking towards the staircase leading to the private rooms. While she was gradually approaching the room she had last seen Gekikara disappearing into, she was a little disconcerted when Takumi **–** the bouncer who worked at the club on week-ends **–** was nowhere to be found.

Bouncers mainly had a dissuasive effect. Now and then, they patrolled near the private rooms, checking everything was well in order and assuring the strippers’ protection. In their vast majority, clients were respectful and followed the club’s rules to the letter, even though small incidents were not impossible.

When Akane still worked at the club, she sometimes shared some stories with her. Jurina recalled her mentioning a few cases during which she had indeed to deal with difficult clients; clients she however always managed to successfully put back in their place if they behaved in an inappropriate way.

_“You don’t have to worry about me.” Akane had instantly given her a warm, reassuring smile when she had once manifested her concern. “They are sometimes insistent, but never dangerous.”_

The words Akane had uttered that day still resonated within her, and she momentarily wondered if her affection for Gekikara was not playing tricks on her mind and altering her judgment. She had almost arrived at destination when her feet paused on the ground, now considering turning around. What if she was overreacting and Gekikara was perfectly fine?

Despite it, her feet soon moved forward again, figuring it didn’t cost much to check everything was going smoothly now she had come all this way. Drawing closer to the door, she paid attention to the sounds coming from inside. A soft, jazzy music was playing in the air, and she deduced Gekikara was currently performing a lap dance.

As the seconds went by and she didn’t distinguish anything suspect, a small sigh left her lips in relief, now convinced she had gotten worried for nothing. Having no good reason to stay here any longer she took a step back, ready to turn on her heels, when the client’s voice suddenly sounded loud and clear across the door.  

_I didn’t come here for a simple lap dance._

Jurina stiffened, a short pause following the client’s statement, until Gekikara replied she didn’t offer those kinds of services. The stripper’s voice was assured and calm as she spoke, but Jurina’s heart immediately started to race in apprehension. Even though she couldn’t see what was happening inside the room right now she could discern the sound of two distinct pairs of footsteps moving on the floor now the music had stopped, and she prayed internally for Gekikara to quickly get the upper hand.

Jurina didn’t miss a second of the conversation that followed, worried when the client stubbornly kept on with his advances. No matter how many times the stripper asked him politely to go back to his seat, the man didn’t seem to care, repeating like a mantra how attractive she was, and promising to be very gentle with her.

Now, Jurina started to truly fear for Gekikara’s safety. A part of her still wanted to believe the stripper was cleverly going to manage to turn the tide at any moment, but she knew the situation was dangerously escalating when she heard the always very collected Gekikara progressively losing her composure, evident proof that things were getting out of hand.

Pushing herself off from the door, Jurina turned around to take a desperate look around the club, frustration washing over her when she miserably failed to spot the familiar tall, dark-haired bouncer. _Where on earth is Takumi?!_

Concern made way to despair when she realized she was unfortunately not going to get the help she hoped for and she quickly considered her options, knowing she couldn’t afford to wait much longer. She grabbed the door handle decisively, hastily turning it to discover what was happening inside. The improbable sight that greeted her confirmed she had been right to intervene.

Gekikara – who was wearing nothing but a pair of dark blue underwear – was desperately attempting to keep her client at arm-length, pushing him away each time he tried to approach and to put his hands on her.    

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jurina hissed, incredulity surging within her.

Her sudden irruption inside the room had caught both the occupants of the room completely by surprise, Jurina taking advantage of the client’s distraction to move forward. Their gazes locked for a few pregnant seconds, until he diverted his attention towards the stripper in front of him. “You’re so beautiful.” His eyes full of lust traveled her body, ignoring the third party in the room. “Just a little extra and I’ll be gone.”

“No...” Gekikara took a frightened step back when he leaned forward to kiss her, yanking his hand away when he attempted to caress her body despite her protests. “You need to stop and leave.”

Jurina couldn’t believe her eyes. Now, it was more than obvious he was never going to comply to Gekikara’s demands and she quickly came between them, pushing him back with force causing the man to stumble back. “Didn’t you hear?” Jurina breathed hard, her fists tightening by her side as she positioned herself between him and Gekikara.

It wasn’t the first time clients tried to be a little touchy with strippers inside the club, but their behavior ceased immediately as soon as the girls reminded them of the established rules. Not only this man was deliberately ignoring them, he was also trying to obtain certain favors from Gekikara. Favors she had explicitly explained she didn’t offer.

His intentions were more than crystal clear. And the mere idea he could have gotten what he desired if she had not noticed his suspicious behavior made her blood boil.

The atmosphere was terribly tense. Refusing to flinch under his furious gaze, Jurina tried to anticipate his next move, hoping deep down the strong resistance he was facing would finally convince him to let it go. The man was quite imposing and – despite being in very good shape herself – Jurina was well conscious she had little chance of overpowering him if he decided to use violence.

Regardless, she certainly wasn’t about to leave Gekikara defenseless and she didn’t budge, feeling the stripper’s shaky fingers clutching her shoulder behind her back. 

When she caught in the distance sound of hurried footsteps drawing closer, relief filled her chest instantly, guessing the identity of the person approaching. When they stopped at the door, she immediately diverted her attention at the new presence. “Takumi,” Jurina said between clenched teeth. “Where were you?”

The arrival of the bouncer seemed to have considerably calmed down the client’s ardors, who – even though he protested a little – didn’t physically resist when the bouncer grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the private room. The last thing Jurina heard was the bouncer apologizing profusely to the stripper and inquiring in concern if the client had hurt her, Gekikara shaking her head negatively in reply.

A lasting silence enveloped them when the bouncer left, Jurina turning around to take a worried look at Gekikara. Instantly, she felt a pang in her chest, hating seeing the always so confident stripper in such an unusual fragile and vulnerable state. “It’s over now,” Jurina murmured gently. “He’s gone and will never come back.”

A small nod was all she received, and it was much obvious by the stripper’s mutism she was still under complete shock after what had happened. Remembering the stripper’s undressed state, Jurina decided to look for her clothes, spotting them on the floor a few feet away. Just as she was about to retrieve them, a hand hastily grabbed her wrist, prompting her to turn around in surprise.

“Thank you,” a faint murmur left the stripper’s quivering lips. “Thank you, Jurina.”

“Geki–” Jurina didn’t have time to reply that the older girl had pressed herself against her and laid her head on her shoulder. Jurina froze, caught off guard by the unexpected intimate proximity. Under any other circumstances, she wouldn’t have allowed such closeness with the stripper, given the nature of her own feelings for her.

However, she momentarily put them aside to focus entirely on the stripper’s needs, slowly wrapping her arms around Gekikara’s waist to bring her the comfort and warmth she currently sought. A part of her suddenly felt angry at herself for not intervening sooner. All the signs had been here from the start: the client’s behavior was already very suspicious in the club. Why did she hesitate to act? Why didn’t she warn the bouncer? She could have prevented all this from happening!

“It’s my fault…” Gekikara’s voice suddenly broke. “I had only turned my back for five seconds, and the moment after he was getting up. I made a stupid mistake. I know I’m supposed to keep an eye on clients at all times. I just had no idea that he… that he would…”

“Don’t think about it anymore,” Jurina shushed her.

Jurina held her tight, refusing to let her continue when she heard emotion submerging her. Caressing Gekikara’s hair tenderly, she listened to the sound of her slightly inconstant breathing, taking in the trembling fingers clutching the back of her vest. Jurina figured it was probably going to take a little while before the other girl would have fully calmed down, but she was not in a hurry.

She had no intention of leaving that room until she was completely certain Gekikara was finally alright.


	6. Chapter 6

Jurina waited aside patiently while Gekikara finished getting dressed, considerably relieved to witness her features more relaxed. For a while, as her body kept shivering against her and the older girl refused to leave the comfort her arms provided, Jurina feared she wasn’t emotionally stable enough to continue work after such a traumatizing incident. The thought of suggesting her to leave work early crossed her mind more than once, but she had refrained from doing so when it appeared the stripper had unexpectedly recovered much faster and better than anticipated.

Indeed, Gekikara’s steps were steady again when she had slowly pulled away from her embrace and retrieved her clothes from the floor one by one, and her fingers hadn’t wavered in the slightest when she had slipped carefully into them. Even though they spoke very few words during the process, Jurina had observed her attentively, reassured to see back in those brown eyes the composure she was so familiar with. Once she was fully dressed, Jurina followed her out of the private room, immediately concerned when she noticed a flash of hesitation in Gekikara’s eyes when the latter shut the door behind them.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” Jurina feared the stripper might be attempting to hide her true feelings behind a fake mask of confidence. “I’m sure your employer would understand if you decided to go back home after what you’ve been through…”

“I’m okay...” Gekikara turned and smiled back at her. “I’m really okay. No, I was wondering… When are you planning on leaving the club tonight?”

Jurina was taken aback by the odd question but checked the time on her watch. “Probably around 1:30 a.m.” She looked up and frowned. “Why?”

“Would you mind waiting a little more?” the stripper asked tentatively. “I finish at 2 a.m. and I really want to buy you a drink. I know a nice place a few minutes away from here: it stays open until very late.”

The offer rendered Jurina momentarily speechless, before presuming it had to be linked to the previous incident, and it was the stripper’s generous way of thanking her for her last-minute intervention. Despite being undeniably moved by the thoughtful attention, she shook her head in protest. “No, you already thanked me. I’m glad you’re safe, but you really don’t need to do that.”

Jurina believed the matter to be over when the older girl didn’t insist and, as she was about to join the main room downstairs and let Gekikara continue her work, felt her hand being seized without warning. “I don’t know what could have happened without your help. Please, let me buy you a drink... It’s the least I can do.”

Startled by the stripper’s unexpected move and tenacity, Jurina’s first instinct was to not give in and refuse. However, as they stared lengthily into each other’s eyes and Jurina contemplated her options, she could feel her resolve faltering under the stripper’s intense, pleading look. Once more, Jurina was confronted with the signs of her own helplessness, all too aware of the powerful effects the stripper’s charms had on her. The more she kept coming back to the club and the longer she stayed in Gekikara’s presence, the less likely their influence had any chance of decreasing…

“Gekikara…” Jurina winced in unease but ended up being incapable of saying no to those fascinating small brown orbs, even less when – that hand that had captured hers so effortlessly **–** strengthened its grip around her fingers. “Yes, alright…” Jurina relented. “I’ll wait for the end of your shift.”

Instantly, a pleased smile spread across Gekikara’s face. “Don’t you dare changing your mind and leaving,” Gekikara threatened and leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss against her cheek. “Or I won’t forgive you.”

The stripper’s cheeky tone didn’t go unnoticed, her last words resonating within her as she watched Gekikara leaving her side and walking away, although not before giving her one last, small playful smile. Unsettled by the unexpected affectionate gesture, she stood motionless on the spot, the feeling of Gekikara’s soft lips lingering on her skin even long after she had vanished from her sight. As she listened to the sound of her heart hammering inside her chest, she asked herself if she hadn’t just made a huge mistake.

 

* * *

 

Jurina leaned her back against the wall behind her, observing the starry sky above her head. These last few days, the weather hadn’t been so generous – intermittent rain coupled with strong wind being Tokyoites’ daily lot **–** but the tide had thankfully turned on Saturday morning, the week-end being warm and sunny so far. Frankly, it had been a while since she had been able to admire such a dazzling view in Japan’s capital.

Not paying attention to the small group of salary men passing in front of her and entering The Blue Moon on her right – the loud music of the club reaching her for a fleeting moment as the front door opened and closed on them - Jurina heaved out a small sight in content. Not only was the sight having an undeniable appeasing effect on her – relaxing her effectively after a strenuous week of studying at the University - the temperature was also pleasant, neither too warm or too cold at this hour of the day.

“Sorry for the wait…”

A feminine, slightly erratic voice distracted her and she tore her eyes away from the sky to glance towards its direction. Jurina swept over the familiar long, dark-haired stripper who had exited The Blue Moon, the tantalizing clothing Gekikara wore within the club having been replaced by a casual, street outfit. Slight discomfort washed over as she recalled what they were about to do, pondering if this rendezvous outside the club was truly a brilliant idea after all.

Gekikara was visibly solely attempting to repay her, but this whole invitation appeared awfully unorthodox to her. Strippers were taught to draw a clear line with their clients, and to never mix work with their personal life. By inviting her to a bar, the 26-year-old girl was making a serious infringement to the established rule and evidently crossing a boundary.

Never had Jurina found herself in such a delicate situation with Akane. When the latter still worked at The Blue Moon, they mostly saw each other at her workplace, the only exception being when the older girl stopped occasionally by her apartment for longer and more private sessions. Aside from that, they never went out for a drink, and even less met in a public space. Even if Jurina felt entirely at ease around Akane, their relationship remained strictly professional until the very last day.

It was an arrangement that suited them both, and the thought of altering it never crossed her mind a single time.

By accepting Gekikara’s offer, Jurina was conscious she was treading in murky waters. If she listened closely to her heart’s profound desires, she wished nothing more but to spend more time with the girl who had so smoothly captured her attention. After all, that was precisely why she kept coming back to the club week after week, going against her better judgment that was urging her to keep her distance at all costs with the dangerously alluring stripper.

Jurina didn’t misinterpret the stripper’s invitation for anything more but a simple act of kindness, but it was a complex task to keep a clear head and her feelings in check when the older girl behaved seductively, even going as far as provoking an unexpected moment of intimacy and kissing her on the cheek back then in the club.

“Jurina… are you ready?”

Jurina came back to her senses when she felt fingers brushing her shoulder, her eyes landing on Gekikara as a gentle smile touched her lips. _Do not follow her._ Jurina heard loud and clear a distinct voice warning her of her recklessness. _Apologize and leave now_. The voice within her insisted, but the stripper had a magnetic effect impossible to resist. 

Nodding softly in agreement, she followed quietly the stripper in the streets of Tokyo as she led the way. It only took them a few minutes’ walk to arrive at destination, Jurina casting a curious glance at the façade when they stopped in front of The Furukawa Lounge Bar. The stripper didn’t wait to push the door and enter, and Jurina instantly could tell she had her habits here when she addressed with familiarity the female bartender behind the counter.

“I often come here after a shift at The Blue Moon,” the stripper answered her unvoiced question once she finished her short talk with the dark-haired employee, that Jurina’s keen hearing didn’t fail to catch was called Rie. “The first weeks, I had difficulty finding sleep when I headed back home straight after work so now, I make a small detour here. Its peaceful atmosphere and the pleasant music helps me unwind.”

Jurina let the information sink in and scanned the place, taking in through the subdued red light the blue sofas and white square tables, surprised to note most of the seats were taken despite the late time. While listening to the jazzy music playing softly in the background, she followed the older girl as she made her way around the place with great ease, leading them to a small, unoccupied table in a secluded area of the lounge bar.

“What do you want to drink?” Gekikara, who remained standing by the table, inquired once Jurina had comfortably settled down. “The usual? Or are you feeling…” She leaned closer. “A little adventurous tonight?”

The stripper’s last words made Jurina pause, caught off guard by the mischief gleaming in her eyes. Tonight, Gekikara was acting more tactile and flirty than usual, and she had a hard time understanding the meaning behind it. It wasn’t extraordinary to witness the stripper behaving in such a way in the club with other clients – after all, it was merely her job to seduce potential customers in order to obtain what she desired – but Jurina didn’t see any valid reason for the older girl to keep on with that act outside the club.

“I’m a person of habits,” Jurina answered, concluding it had to be simple professional deformation. “The usual will be fine.”

“Oh, alright…” The stripper sounded disappointed, but Jurina didn’t think too much of it, as a smile moved almost immediately to the other girl’s lips. “A Kirin, then. I’ll be back in a minute with the drinks.”

Jurina nodded, watching pensively the other girl as she walked away and towards the direction of the bartender. Under any other circumstances, all the signs would have been here to indicate this was more than a friendly meeting. The touching, the teasing, the smiles… but Jurina refused to be fooled by any of it, reminding herself Gekikara had solely invited her for one purpose, and she had no hidden agenda.

No, this was unquestionably _not_ a date.

A few minutes later, Gekikara was already back with both their drinks. From her peripheral vision, she could see the stripper taking a seat opposite her and slipping her black vest on the back of the chair but she remained silent for a while, clasping her bottle of beer in her hand. Somehow, a part of her was still feeling a little disturbed by this unconventional situation.

“You know…” Jurina’s fingers played nervously with her drink. “You really didn’t need to invite me out.”

When she didn’t receive any reply, Jurina looked up, seeing the other girl fidgeting in her seat. “I wasn’t completely honest with you.” Jurina distinguished an uncharacteristic hint of edginess in Gekikara’s tone. “I didn’t only invite you to thank you. I’ve meant to ask you out for a drink for a while, but I didn’t have the courage to do so. After what happened this evening… I saw an opportunity.”

Jurina blinked in confusion. “I’m not sure I understand…”

“I want to know you better,” the stripper continued. “Maybe you think this is inappropriate, but I enjoy spending time with you. I want to believe we get along well and when I’m with you, it doesn’t feel like I’m speaking with a client. Does it… Does it make sense to you?”

Dumbfounded, Jurina didn’t know what to say. After such an unforeseen confession, she remained cautiously on her guards and searched any sign of deceitfulness in her interlocutor. Could she still be playing a role? But if so, for what purpose? Jurina had made it more than clear in the club – and this from the very beginning – that Gekikara would never succeed in luring her into one those private rooms upstairs. Was she adopting a new strategy, hoping it would change her mind? 

Jurina studied her at length, trying to decipher her true intentions. To her perplexity, she only saw a mixture of shyness and expectation in Gekikara’s expression. It was so unordinary to witness such emotions reflected in her eyes, that Jurina gradually contemplated the idea that maybe it wasn’t a trick after all, and the stripper could be entirely sincere. At the thought, she relaxed a little, but was still incapable of formulating a semblance of a reply, admittingly failing to grasp what the stripper was precisely expecting from her.

“Does it make you uncomfortable, me telling you this?” Gekikara murmured hesitantly. “Don’t you want to be here with me? I didn’t mean to force your hand earlier on, I just…”

“I want to spend more time with you,” Jurina assured, cursing herself when she unfortunately realized too late what she had blurted out without thinking. 

“It makes me happy to hear that.” A warm smile plastered the stripper’s features, and she extended her arm across the table. “It really does…” She caught Jurina’s hand and brushed lightly her knuckles with her thumb. “I now realize you only know me as Gekikara, and I never told you my real name. I’m Rena...”

Within a split second, the atmosphere had shifted between them, their relationship having taken a completely unexpected turn and developed into something more personal the instant Gekikara had taken upon her to reveal such a meaningful information. For a little while, they simply looked into each other’s eyes without speaking, Jurina feeling her desire for the stripper growing stronger with every heartbeat.

With renewed confidence, the older girl laced their fingers together and, for the first time since her first encounter with the captivating stripper at The Blue Moon, Jurina didn’t try to break free.

 

* * *

 

Jurina didn’t know what time it was when they left The Furukawa Lounge Bar, but they were the last remaining clients when they exited the place. When the stripper had informed her she only lived a few streets away, Jurina had suggested that they split up in front of the bar, but the other girl had insisted on walking her back to the subway station. A small smile was plastered on Jurina’s face as they walked side by side towards their destination, admitting she had truly spent a wonderful evening in the stripper’s pleasant company.

This more intimate moment had been the occasion to discover new aspects of Gekikara’s charming personality, and it was undeniable she was falling day by day irremediably harder for the older girl. Lost in her musing, she didn’t immediately feel the hand slipping casually inside hers, and it took her a few seconds to grasp what the stripper had done. The moment after, Jurina was startled when Gekikara stopped their walk as they were passing in a dark and deserted alley.

“About earlier on, I really meant every word I said.”

Jurina didn’t miss the seriousness flashing in her eyes and, when Gekikara moved closer, took an unconscious step backwards. However, she couldn’t prevent further the stripper from invading her personal space when her back hit the wall behind her. “I don’t want you to get the wrong impression and believe I’m playing games with you.” The stripper ignored her surprise and continued. “I really… really like you.”

Jurina didn’t have time to react that the stripper had already pressed her lips against hers. Shocked by such a bold move, one she had definitely not seen coming, it took her brain a few, pregnant seconds to process what was happening. Once she fully registered her delicate situation, she knew she had to intervene before it was too late. It wasn’t that she didn’t relish the soft sensation of Gekikara’s enticing lips against hers, but there was a crucial piece of information about herself she was missing.

Gekikara had not a single clue about her true nature.

“You don’t know me.” Jurina quickly broke the kiss and looked down in unease. “I’m not… I’m not the person you think I am.”

“Do you already have someone in your life?” Gekikara’s words were reduced to a feeble whisper, a flash of apprehension slithering across her face. 

“No…” Jurina refused to lie. “That’s not… That’s not it.”

Jurina bit her lower lip in uncertainty, feeling her resolve faltering when the stripper leaned forward again, her breath tickling her skin when her lips halted merely a few inches away from hers. “Then…” Gekikara whispered huskily, sending a shiver down her spine when she placed a lingering kiss at the corner of her lips. “I don’t see what the problem is.”

Jurina wanted badly to counter that they couldn’t do this, but all rational thoughts flew out the window when Gekikara assaulted her lips and pressed her slender body against hers. The unsuspected craving of Gekikara’s lips that refused to detach themselves from hers caught her off guard but this time, she didn’t try to push away the other girl. Surrendering to her deepest needs, Jurina replied to the kiss with equal yearning and wrapped her arms around Gekikara, her hands roaming her back as she pulled her closer.

For months, she had fought long internal battles with her soul.

And a simple taste of Gekikara’s lips had been sufficient to overcome her last resistance.


	7. Chapter 7

It had already been a week since Jurina had last met Gekikara and, when she stepped in The Blue Moon that Saturday evening, felt terribly torn on the best way to address what had transpired between them. The stripper hadn’t been shy to invite her out for a drink and, after leaving the Furukawa Lounge Bar, even bluntly made her advances out in the open, the heated kiss they had shared in that alley a memory impossible to erase.

Since her arrival at the club, Gekikara had been swamped with work. They hardly had the opportunity to exchange a few words, that the stripper had been forced to already leave her table, her presence being requested by a young and eager boy for a private lap dance upstairs. Tonight, Jurina could sense something was wrong with herself and she was not in a right state of mind when the familiar view of the older girl flirting with others sparked an unusual flame of jealousy in her. 

Gekikara’s current success shouldn’t have come as a surprise. As soon as Jurina had fell under the charm of her natural beauty and spellbinding performance, she had predicted the new dancer would refine her technique in no time and would attract a solid basis of regular clients as she would gain more experience. However, never until today had she felt such a negative emotion emerging inside her.

In the past, Jurina often felt a tinge of disappointment when they were having a pleasurable conversation and Gekikara would have to leave her side to join another client. Despite it, she certainly never held it against the stripper or felt abnormally envious of others, grasping she was merely performing her duties. Not only were other customers in their perfect right to ask for her favors, she also needed to make a living. Already, Jurina was grateful the older girl was generous enough to accept spending time in her company, when she barely earned any money with her.

So why wasn’t she thinking rationally tonight?

In reality, it was still hard for her to wrap her head around the possibility that Gekikara perceived her as more than a random customer, and that moment of intimacy between them truly held some significance. The dancer had affirmed without detour her interest in her, nevertheless a part of her couldn’t help doubting the sincerity of her words. What if it was solely an impulsive gesture, done on the spur of the moment?

Gekikara seemed in full possession of her faculties when she had pushed her against the wall and brought their lips together, but this unbelievable evening made little sense to her. The invitation. The flirtatious behavior. The unforeseen confession. The passionate kiss. If Jurina had had more alcohol in her system, she would have convinced herself she had imagined the whole thing.

Jurina let out a heavy, despondent sigh. She had absolutely no idea what to expect when she entered The Blue Moon two hours ago, but the evening had taken an unpredictable and unpleasant turn. For the third time, she waved to the female waitress, pointing at her empty bottle of beer once she had successfully gotten her attention. “Another one, please,” she asked when the girl approached.

“Jurina, don’t you think…”

The young Anna had always been very sweet to her, but if there’s anything she wasn’t, it was subtle when it came to expressing her emotions. Judging by her troubled look and reluctance to take her order, it wasn’t hard to guess she was most likely not approving her decision of ordering a third bottle of beer. Another day, she might have felt touched by the waitress’ thoughtful attention but tonight, she frankly couldn’t care any less.

She urgently needed to find a way to quiet down that annoying and unhealthy feeling that arose each time she observed Gekikara interacting ever so casually with potential prospects, and alcohol appeared the most promising solution right now.

“Another Kirin,” Jurina repeated, this time with more insistence.

Jurina could almost see the gears turning within the waitress’ head as she stared at her for a few, pregnant seconds, probably asking herself if it was wise or not to accept, and if she shouldn’t instead try and take her out of it. Visibly, Jurina’s determination conveyed the appropriate message as the waitress nodded silently, a small, awkward smile plastering her features when she walked away.

Instinctively, Jurina’s eyes fell back on Gekikara, watching her as she was occupied with a customer a few tables away. It was one of her regulars – Jurina recognized easily the salary man chatting with her – and she was aware the stripper had nothing to fear from the inoffensive short, dark-haired middle-aged man. Despite it, it didn’t prevent her from feeling awfully insecure at the scene she was witnessing, discomfort growing inside her at each smile they shared, and every touch initiated by the dancer.

In a few minutes, there was no doubt they were going to head upstairs. The man’s positive reactions to Gekikara’s powerful charm were a clear indication that her seductive tricks were working on him wonderfully. When the older girl leaned to whisper something in his ear, Jurina couldn’t take it anymore and looked away, grabbing firmly the new bottle of Kirin in front of her.

As she brought it to her lips and took a few, long sips, she gradually came to the realization the beverage wasn’t having the desired effect. It was now her third beer, and she wasn’t feeling any better than when she had first entered the club. Worse, she now dreaded the alcohol could have had the opposite effect and been adding fuel to that inappropriate feeling of enviousness.

Jurina lowered slowly her bottle on the table. _It’s all my fault._ _I should never have let her kiss me._ Jurina admonished herself. _I should have pushed her away and never kissed her back. What was I… What on earth was I thinking?_

Now, Jurina was certain of it: she should never have allowed the situation to escalate and get out of control.

This relationship – or whatever this strange thing going on between them was called – had no future. Not only did they belong to two complete opposite worlds, she feared the stripper might have a biased image of her. The one of a studious girl working hard during the week to obtain her diploma in Architecture and who, on the week-end, needed desperately to loosen up and relieve all the accumulated tension and stress.

Of course, none of it was untrue, but it failed to represent properly who she was at her deepest core. Until now, she hadn’t given the stripper any chances of discovering the other hidden aspects of her personality. The strong insecurity inhabiting her when it came to her physical difference. The fear of rejection that refused to leave her as the years went by. But also, the sexual needs she had kept unfulfilled for so many years, before her providential encounter with Akane.

Her fascination for the new stripper couldn’t be ignored and concealing her yearning for her proved to be a challenging task as the months went by, but she was adamant on preserving her from the dreadful truth. Up’ til that day, she still couldn’t fully comprehend why Akane had embraced her difference, but she didn’t fool herself into believing she represented the norm. It was a merciless society: mentalities didn’t change overnight and people who didn’t fit it in the mold were cast aside without an ounce of regret.

 _I need to leave._ Jurina rose from the table and put her vest on, concluding by the tardiness and Gekikara’s unfortunate unavailability she would never manage to obtain tonight that desired conversation with her. Stealing one last, hopeful glance in the direction of the dark-haired stripper, she noted in discouragement she was indeed still engrossed in her conversation, her entire attention drawn to her client.

Yes, it had been a tremendously frustrating evening.

Tossing a few bills on the table, she didn’t look back and made her way towards the exit, now feeling more than eager to leave the place. She had almost arrived at the front door that she felt someone catching her arm without warning, prompting her to turn around. When she discovered the identity of the person standing in front of her, her eyes widened in stupefaction.

“W–Wait…” Gekikara’s fingers circled her arm tightly. “You’re already leaving?”

Caught off guard by her unexpected apparition, Jurina took a brief look over the stripper’s shoulder, noting from afar that her previous client was still sitting at the table, and even gazing at them in mild curiosity. What had happened? A few minutes ago, she was still occupied with him. Could she possibly have left his side abruptly after noticing her leaving the club?

“Yes…” Jurina confirmed nervously, a little unsure how to justify her departure. Evidently, it was out of the question to admit the truth so she decided to opt for a lie, one she hoped convincing enough. “It’s already late, and I’m feeling a bit tired.” 

A mixture of guilt and unease spread across the stripper’s face. “I’m sorry… I really wanted to come and see you, but I haven’t had a minute for myself.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jurina put on a brave face and tried to sound reassuring. “You’re getting more popular. It’s a good thing, no?”

“Are you… alright?” Jurina understood she had failed reaching her objective when the stripper shot her a small, concerned look.

“Of course.” Jurina forced a smile. “Come on.” She nodded her head in the direction of the awaiting customer. “You shouldn’t make him wait any longer.”

“Don’t you want to stay a bit more?” Gekikara offered tentatively, not even batting an eyelash at the mention of her other client. “I’m sure I’ll have more free time later.”

“No, you won’t…” Jurina gave her a resigned look. The stripper’s optimism was admirable, but she couldn’t share her faith on the matter, not when she had followed the whole evening an endless succession of clients eagerly requesting her presence.

Taking a step back, Jurina didn’t have the opportunity of going very far as the stripper refused to release her hold on her. “I really wanted to spend some time with you tonight…” Gekikara assured. “What if we went out for a drink after my shift?” she made a thoughtful pause. “I need to check, but I think I finish at–”

“No!” Jurina interrupted her without further delay. The previous week, it had been a stupid mistake to accept the stripper’s proposal and she was not ready to repeat it. Given her interlocutor’s baffled look, she feared her prompt refusal might have sounded slightly harsh. Quickly, she corrected herself. “Thank you, but…” her tone softened. “I really want to go home.”

“Alright…” Gekikara relented in defeat. “I’ll see you next week-end, right?”

Jurina didn’t answer, embarrassed by the glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes. Another time, she wouldn’t have hesitated to retort it was an absurd question, as she had always been impeccably constant in her visits to the club those last two months but after tonight’s events, she didn’t have any more certitude.

“I don’t know yet,” Jurina admitted. “I might be… busy.”

Gekikara’s blatant disappointment taught her she was not giving her the answer she hoped for, but she couldn’t bring herself to give her false hopes, especially when she was currently so torn about her next course of action. Feeling like it was now her cue to leave, Jurina gave her one last, tentative smile before turning on her heels, repeating to herself to keep walking and not look back, fearing she might change her mind if she risked another glance in Gekikara’s direction.

 

* * *

 

When Jurina reached her apartment a little while later, she was cautious not to make too much noise when she stepped inside, not wishing to take the risk of accidentally waking up her roommate in the process. Gingerly closing the front door behind her, she switched the light on, a frown falling upon her face when she noted Mayu’s bedroom door wide opened and no signs of its occupant. That’s when it hit her. Earlier on, her best friend had indeed warned her she would not be sleeping here tonight, but spending the evening at Yuki’s, her girlfriend’s place.

Finally figuring out the reason behind her best friend’s absence, Jurina felt considerably more at ease. For some weird reason, it had completely slipped her mind.

Removing her shoes and vest in the entrance, it occurred to her she wouldn’t for once have minded some company tonight and couldn’t help despite herself lamenting the quietness of the apartment. All the way here, she hadn’t stopped debating with herself whether she should give in to Gekikara’s last tempting request and go back to The Blue Moon the following week, but her thoughts were a jumble mess in a head, soon concluding she was not in the best state of mind right now to make such a crucial decision.

Entering her own bedroom on the left, the red letters flashing on her alarm clock reminded her of the late time, and she knew she should try and put her concerns aside for now to find some sleep. Quickly, she discovered it was easier said than done. After she had changed clothes and put herself to bed, seconds soon transformed into minutes, but maintaining her eyes close proved an impossible task.

Gekikara’s persistent image was keeping her wide awake.

A frustrated growl escaped her lips and, after switching the light on, took a seat on the side of the bed, burying her face in her hands as a feeling of powerlessness spread through her chest. Unconsciously, her thoughts lead her to an entirely different person, all of a sudden wishing Akane hadn’t left the capital and moved to Osaka.

If there was one person who had always managed to relax her when she needed it the most, it was definitely Akane. When she was too stressed about her strenuous daily life as a student. When she was mentally exhausted and wanted to get rid of the nagging voices inside her head taking some malicious delight in reminding her of her abnormality. Or, on a more physical aspect, when she had too much pent-up sexual tension asking to be released.

Akane was the only person she could reach out to. 

On the week-end, and even during weekdays.

At the strip club, or at her apartment.

In a matter of minutes, all her worries would disappear magically, as if they had never existed in the first place. Away from prying eyes and in the safe vicinity of a bedroom, Akane accomplished the unconceivable underneath the bedsheets. A miracle no other human being had ever managed to perform before her.

She made her feel accepted.

“But she’s not here anymore,” Jurina stammered, her small voice sounding weakly in the partial darkness of her room as she confessed her disarray. “And she’s probably… never coming back.”

Her absence was leaving her prey to the worst of her doubts and insecurities.

Her gaze wandered in the room helplessly, absentmindedly spotting a disorganized pile of documents and books spread carelessly across the floor. Taking a deep breath, she stood on her feet and moved towards the embarrassing mess, hoping doing a little clean up might help her clear her head and find some sleep. Kneeling down on the blue carpet, she gathered her books and courses on Construction Law, decided to find some empty place for them in her office. 

Lowering next the heavy load on her desk, she tidied it for a little while conscientiously, removing old courses and books she had no more use. When a paper sheet slipped accidently between the piece of furniture and the wall, she retrieved it without further ado, her attention caught by a thin rectangular card trapped in the narrowed space. Her curiosity piqued, she extended her arm, catching the white card between her fingers. When she finally took a peek at it, her eyes widened as she recognized instantly the familiar inscription on it.   

“What… What is it still doing here?” She blinked in incredulity, persuaded to have thrown it away a long time ago.

That professional card made everything rush back with vivid clarity, and she stared at it for a long period of time, until casting a glance towards the direction of the bin. When her better judgment was urging her to get rid of it without second thoughts, a small voice inside her head, growing louder and louder as the seconds went by, was wondering if it couldn’t be the answer to her problems. What if it was precisely what she needed tonight?

Taking a seat back on the bed, her eyes flickered undecidedly between the rectangular card in her hand and the white Smartphone resting on the bedside table, before making up her mind and seizing the device. To be honest, she would deem herself lucky if the number was still in function after so much time but she didn’t dither, typing the familiar phone number on the screen.

Pressing the phone against her ear, she waited in anticipation while it rang a few times, a smooth and feminine voice soon picking up.

“Nana speaking?”

 

* * *

 

Nana looked just as she remembered her.

Feminine, elegant, mature; but most of all, very easy on the eyes. The essential prerequisites that had led her to pick that girl in particular when she had stumbled upon her picture. Jurina followed her every move expectantly as she stepped inside her apartment and took a curious look around, wondering what were the odds that woman would ever resurface in her life again. Back then, when Nana had dropped casually her professional card on the bedside table, Jurina had the fervent intention of keeping that night a one-time thing.

And yet here she was again, standing in her living room with an air of confidence, after two long years without seeing each other. From the outside, the situation could appear oddly similar: she had, after all, also called the older girl tonight with a precise goal in mind, but it was a false misconception. Nana might hadn’t change an iota, not the same could be said about herself. She wasn’t anymore the skittish and inexperienced 20-year-old girl terrified of losing her virginity to a perfect stranger. 

“Hello, Jurina. It’s been a while.” Nana removed her vest and laid it on the armrest of the couch, setting her eyes on her host in keen interest. “I never thought I would ever receive a call from you again. It was a very nice surprise.”

“I wasn’t going to.” Jurina saw no good reason for hiding the truth. “I wasn’t even sure the phone number still worked, or that you kept provided those kinds of services.”

Nana nodded in understanding. “In fact, it’s not really the case anymore. For a while, I was away from Tokyo for personal reasons and when I came back recently, I decided to find a different job. Actually, I applied for a new one a few days ago, and I’m hoping the outcome will be positive.”

“I don’t understand,” Jurina admitted her confusion. “Then why did you accept to come tonight?”

“I decided to keep offering my services to a restricted and selected number of my best customers.” Jurina didn’t miss the unmistakable seductive glint in her eyes. “Or to those that had left a good impression on me...”

Jurina didn’t oppose any resistance when Nana applied some pressure on her chest and pushed her down on the sofa, straddling her lap with bold assurance. “So, tell me…” Slender fingers slowly traveled down her tee-shirt, pausing just above the waistband of her shorts. “What did you have in mind for tonight?”

For what felt like a breathless eternity, Jurina studied the dazzling woman sitting on top of her, her eyes aglow with longing as she stared at those enticing lips. “It depends.” Jurina wrapped her arms around Nana’s back, bringing them closer, and didn’t wait anymore to connect her lips to hers. “How long do you have?”

Nana’s mouth tugged into a knowing smile. “I’m yours as long as you need,” she murmured invitingly when they broke the lingering, sensual kiss. “Ten minutes. An hour. Or… all night.”

A rush of anticipation spread through Jurina’s chest at the tempting prospect, humming in pleasure when Nana slipped a hand underneath her tee-shirt, and her fingers explored every inch of skin at disposal. Little by little, her eyes clouded with desire as dexterous and expert fingers massaged her breasts, the stimulation enhancing effectively her arousal. For a while, she let her willingly proceed with her ministrations, before interrupting her and catching her hand.

As she guided her fingers out of her tee-shirt and down her waist, she made sure to communicate her clearly that another part of her body was begging for her attention. A message visibly properly conveyed, an impish smile adorning Nana’s face as she climbed off her lap and slid her body downwards, dropping on her knees. Her eyes tore away from Jurina’s lustful gaze and stared at her crotch, where the source of her sexual frustrations rested.

Nana cupped it gently and took a grasp of the member through her shorts, her eyes widening slightly when she noted how hard it had already gotten. Not bothering pulling the material off, she slipped her fingers inside the shorts and pulled out Jurina’s sex, her eyes following the member’s extent from base to head appreciatively. Stealing a glance towards its owner, she distinguished the unmistakable craving in her eyes, and began slowly stroking her member with measured, gentle motions.

Jurina let out a gasp and closed her eyes shut, taking in the feeling of the fingers running up and down her length, the sensation nearly as painful as it was pleasurable. After a few moments of pleasuring Jurina that way, Nana lowered her head and leaned in, enveloping gingerly her erect member with the warmth of her mouth. In the vain hope of muffling the noises trying to erupt from her throat, Jurina bit hard on her lower lip, but the constant slow-pace sucking on her member kept eliciting moan after moan.

While Nana worked her talents on the thick firmness, Jurina’s hands found their way into her hair, her fingers entangling into her long dark locks as she gently began pushing down every now and then. A ball of fire started to form at the pit of Jurina’s stomach and she felt as though she was about to explode, all her pent-up sexual tension threatening to spill at any moment. As if Nana could sense she was getting dangerously close, she set a faster pace with each dip, using her other hand to hold the throbbing member in place.

Very slowly at first, but gradually increasing in its intensity, a shudder rippled through Jurina when she felt the orgasm ripping through her entire form. Eventually, she came down from her peak, still a little short of breath when she took a tentative peek at the girl who had skillfully brought her to an intense climax. After a minute or so, when she had regained a portion of her strength, Jurina lifted the other girl off the floor, Nana not hesitating to straddle her like before.

Jurina listened to the sound of her racing heart slowing down progressively in her chest, her hands roaming Nana’s back when the latter slipped her arms around her neck and placed some kisses down her jawline. They remained silently in that position for a little while – exchanging a few occasional kisses – until Jurina felt Nana gripping her length without warning, her member awakening effortlessly under the daring provocation of Nana’s fingers.


	8. Chapter 8

Jurina leaned her back against the wall and slipped her hand into her vest’s pocket to retrieve her phone, letting out a resigned sigh when the screen revealed it was 1 p.m., way past the meeting time. This Sunday, she had gladly agreed to meet Mayu and her girlfriend outside for lunch at the restaurant, and they were already more than thirty minutes late. If there was one person who valued punctuality above all, it was definitely her best friend, yet things had changed categorically when a certain popular college girl named Yuki Kashiwagi had entered her life.

Yuki was a pretty, coquettish girl who took great pride in her looks, not afraid to hog the bathroom for hours until she deemed herself plenty satisfied, applying the same treatment when it came to the clothes and accessories she chose scrupulously. Aside from her visible obsession with her physical appearance, Jurina had to admit she appreciated her human qualities and approved Mayu’s choice of a girlfriend. Yuki was kind, friendly and caring, and – even though she proved sometimes to be terribly chatty – surprised her often by her great sense of humor.

However, if there was one personality trait she still had difficulty adapting to, it was her pronounced issue with regularity.

When there was still no sign of the two girls, Jurina pondered seriously calling her best friend to check when they were planning on arriving. This area of Tokyo was not too crowded and the new ramen restaurant they had chosen for the occasion still filled with empty seats, yet the great number of clients that had passed the front door this last half hour began to worry her. Why didn’t she think of making a reservation? She should have anticipated Yuki’s tardiness; it was not as if she hadn’t been confronted to it in the past.

“We’re so, so sorry!” A loud, panicked voice that could only belong to the one and only Yuki Kashiwagi jolted her out of her musing and she tilted her head left, noticing the couple approaching. “I hope you haven’t been waiting for too long. Please tell me you haven’t.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jurina brushed it off with a smile. “I barely arrived.”

It was a shameful lie, one she knew her best friend was not buying at all when she shared a glance with Mayu, and the latter gave her an apologetic smile. What could she say? She simply couldn’t help it. Somehow, she didn’t wish to make Yuki feel too bad about it, and the small relief spreading across her face told her that – not only she had totally fell for it – she could also afford a white lie once in a while.

“It’s my fault…” Yuki conceded, guilt filling her voice. “I couldn’t find my favorite bracelet; the one Mayuyu offered me for Christmas.” She extended her arm, Jurina recognizing the familiar silver bracelet around Yuki’s left wrist. “It had slipped between the wall and the bedside lamp. Thank God, Mayuyu miraculously found it.” Her expression changed drastically as she beamed with happiness, placing a spontaneous kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

 

* * *

 

A few minutes later, the three friends occupied a table in the restaurant’s back room, Yuki not wasting time to engage a conversation. While checking the menu – astonished by the great number of spicy dishes – Jurina listened as Yuki narrated with overflowing enthusiasm both girls’ Saturday evening, from their dinner at a romantic Italian restaurant to their one-hour stay at a karaoke, without forgetting the obligatory stop at Mayu’s all-time favorite activity, the arcade games.

At the mention of the latest, Jurina didn’t fail to notice the disappointment in Yuki’s voice. It appeared Mayu had remained faithful to her reputation and beaten her girlfriend at every single game machine.

The thought made Jurina inevitably smile and, as she heard her best friend mumbling a semblance of an apology – it was common knowledge no one was more competitive than Mayu Watanabe – diverted her attention from the menu to observe the couple. Even if it had taken her a little while to fully accept Yuki’s new presence in their circle, there was no denying both girls deeply loved each other.

As Jurina watched them engaging in an amusing banter – Yuki arguing that Mayu could at least let her win once – Jurina’s mood darkened when she reflected upon her own blatant lack of love life. Would she ever be lucky to experience such similar happiness one day? Or was her physical difference unavoidably promising her to a miserable life of solitude?

“What about you, Jurina?” Jurina got extracted from her depressing thoughts when Yuki addressed her and gazed at her in genuine interest. “Did you have a nice evening?”

“Well, hum…” Jurina trailed off in discomfort. Now, she wished she had anticipated that trivial question and prepared a good story to tell, as it was obviously out of the question to mention her nocturnal, feminine visitor. “Yes. It was… fine.” 

Unfortunately, her evasive answer only served to trigger Mayu’s curiosity. “What did you do? Did anything happen at the strip club in particular?”

“No…” Jurina glared at her. “Nothing happened at the strip club.” She carefully lowered her voice on the last part, astounded her best friend was daring bringing this up here and to top it all in front of her girlfriend.

Yes, Yuki was aware of her weekly visits to The Blue Moon – as Mayu had accidentally mentioned it during a previous conversation – but it didn’t mean Jurina felt utterly at ease talking about it in front of her. Yuki seemed to be a trustworthy and open-minded person, yet there were certain things about herself she refused to divulge. The fact she was attracted to girls never was a secret, but Mayu’s girlfriend remained completely clueless about her physical difference.

“Alright then,” Yuki smiled innocently, oblivious to the heavy tension in the air. “I’ll be right back. I need to go to the bathroom to freshen up.”

Jurina nodded awkwardly and followed Yuki’s retreating form as she left, before gazing back at the culprit. A reprimand was threatening to fall from her lips at any minute, but she was caught off guard by the strange mischievous glint in Mayu’s eyes. “Don’t give me that look,” Mayu chuckled, unfazed by her accusatory look. “If I asked that question, it’s because you seem more relaxed than usual. So, I thought maybe something interesting had happened at the club? Something with a certain attractive long dark-haired stripper?”

“No, I actually came back home early,” Jurina tried to sound as nonchalant as possible to avoid arousing suspicion but could tell her explanation was not satisfying her interlocutor in the slightest when Mayu arched an eyebrow in skepticism.

Somehow, a little voice inside her head was telling her that her obstinate roommate wouldn’t let it go so easily. A theory that got confirmed when Mayu kept staring at her as if she was expecting her to elaborate, something she had clearly no intention of doing. It wasn’t that she felt ashamed for calling Nana and succumbing to her basics needs; she just simply didn’t see the necessity to inform her best friend about it.

Feeling a little disturbed by Mayu’s intense scrutiny, Jurina brought her attention back on the menu. God; she really would have to look hard to find something _not_ spicy.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Mayu stated with a brazen assurance. “What are you hiding, Jurina?”

“I’m not hiding anything,” Jurina protested, beginning to feel a little annoyed by her friend’s insistence. From her peripheral vision, she noted the waiter approaching and welcomed the interruption, thanking him when he placed the drinks they had ordered at their arrival. “Why are you so persuaded something special happened?” Jurina poured herself a glass of beer. “I had an extremely boring evening at the club. I’m not lying.”

“Alright, but…” Mayu studied her at length. “I’m sure something else happened. Wait.” Her eyes widened as if she just had the biggest epiphany. “I know _exactly_ what happened yesterday.” Her lips twisted into a wry smile. “I’m so stupid. How could I not see it straight away?” Mayu leaned closer to her. “You had sex with someone, right?”

Jurina, who had brought her glass to her lips, almost chocked on it. “W–What?” She stared back at her in shock. “Where… Where is this coming from?”

“Oh come on, I know you by heart,” Mayu grinned. “Each time you slept with Akane, you had that glow surrounding you and that look on your face the next morning that screamed: I just had sex and enjoyed every second of it.”

Jurina cast a nervous glance around the room, a wave of relief passing over her when the other clients of the restaurant were thankfully too immerged in their own discussions or too far away to have overhead. “What are you blabbering about,” Jurina defended herself. “I don’t have a look.”

“Yes, you do. And right now, you have it again,” Mayu suppressed a laugh. “I had no idea Akane was back in Tokyo. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because she’s not,” Jurina retorted. “Akane is still in Osaka.”

“So, who was it then?” Mayu asked, perplexed. “Did you finally take the next step with Gekikara?” Her mouth tugged into an impish smile. “She’s the one you slept with?”

“No, nothing happened with Gekikara,” Jurina grumbled. “Can we drop the subject? It doesn’t matter who it was: it was a one-time thing.”

“You don’t do one-time things,” Mayu scoffed. “The only person you slept with was Akane and it would still be going on if she hadn’t left the city. Now that you mention it…” Mayu pondered thoughtfully. “There was also this random girl two years ago. What was her name again? Anna?”

“N–Nana…” Jurina’s voice unintentionally quivered.

“What is it?” Mayu frowned in confusion. “Wait, don’t tell me it was her? You contacted her again? Why?”

Jurina sent a hopeful look in the direction of the bathroom. What on earth was taking Yuki so long? She surely wouldn’t mind if Mayu’s girlfriend appeared out of nowhere and rescued her from that tremendously embarrassing conversation. “Yes, it was Nana,” Jurina let out, grasping she would never get that providential help. “Now, can we please move on? As I said, it was only a one-time thing.”

“If you say so...” Mayu didn’t look so convinced. “But, what about Gekikara? You liked her, didn’t you? You went out to a bar and you kissed.”

“We’re not dating,” Jurina reminded her. “I like being with her, but she has no idea about me. What do you think will happen if I let her get too close and she doesn’t like what she sees?” Jurina stammered, apprehension fluttering through her. “I wouldn’t bare seeing the look of disgust on her face.”

Silence enveloped them and they quietly looked at each other.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, Mayu was the one to speak up.

“I know you’re afraid,” Mayu’s tone softened. “Don’t forget I’ve been by your side all these years. I’ve seen the culpability eating you alive when you broke up with those nice girls, for fear that they would end up rejecting you after discovering the truth. But, one day, you’ll have to accept to take some risk and let someone in.”

“Mayu…” Jurina released a deep breath. “You don’t under **–** ”

“I understand,” Mayu interrupted her gently. “I understand it’s a difficult step to take and there’s no turning back once it’s done. However, I really believe you should give Gekikara a chance. She wouldn’t have invited you out and kissed you if she didn’t have feelings for you. Why don’t you have more faith in her?” Mayu sent her a small, encouraging smile. “Go back there and talk to her. Who knows? She could pleasantly surprise you.”

Jurina opened her mouth to reply, but not a single word managed to leave her lips. Processing what her best friend had uttered, it progressively occurred to her that she had some sort of misconception regarding Mayu’s motivations. Until now, she was convinced the latter only viewed the new stripper as a potential replacement for Akane **–** or at the very best a temporary fling **–** yet it appeared she had it all wrong.

For some strange reason she couldn’t decipher, Mayu seemed to believe Gekikara could be the right person capable of breaking her out of her shell.

 

* * *

 

The following weekend, Jurina decided to make an exception to her weekly routine and stay at the apartment instead of going to The Blue Moon. The goal was to study for an upcoming exam, yet her resilience was tested as soon as she entered her bedroom and settled down at her office. Having a great deal of trouble concentrating, her thoughts drifted – far too frequently to her dismay – towards a certain charming girl awaiting her at the strip club.

Maybe it was true after all that she didn’t have the necessary mental strength to resist the formidable temptation Gekikara represented.

Between the turning of two pages, her image would pop up in her head with great ease, torturing her deliciously. Her last inviting words and hopeful wish to see her again were vividly ingrained in her mind and almost succeeded in overcoming in resistance. On a few occasions, her eyes flickered towards the door, conflicted, and it took her all the restrain in the world not to change her plans at the last minute and storm out of the room to join her.

The next Saturday, finally free from any obligation, her compulsion to meet Gekikara got the best of her and her steps lead her naturally back to The Blue Moon. When she pushed the front door and entered the club, she immediately glanced around the main room in search of the dancer yet was greatly disappointed when she was nowhere to be found. According to her habitual work schedule, she should have begun her shift half an hour ago, and Jurina deduced she might be unfortunately busy upstairs in one of the VIP rooms.

The reassuring words Mayu had uttered at the restaurant came back to the forefront of her mind as soon as she took a seat at her usual table, and she fell deep in her thoughts. Her best friend was acting optimistic, yet she had difficulty sharing her faith on the subject. Would she at last have the courage to confess the truth to Gekikara? And, if she did succeed in opening up to her, how would the other girl react to the shocking revelation?

Nevermind how many times she mulled it over in her head, Jurina remained awfully insecure about the unfolding of this particular evening.

Spotting the familiar waitress taking a client’s order, she waved to her when she turned in her direction. “Hi, Anna. Is Gekikara upstairs?” she inquired at her approach. “I’m not seeing her in the main room.”

“She is,” Anna nodded, confirming her predictions. “She has been in there for a while, so it shouldn’t take too long. Do you want me to warn her of your arrival?”

“Yes,” Jurina stated resolutely. “Thank you.”

“Can I get you anything else in the meantime?” Anna kindly offered.

“No, I only want to see Gekikara,” Jurina replied without thinking, before grasping her omission when the waitress shot her a small, amused look. “Oh,” she cleared her throat, a little embarrassed. “A Kirin, of course.”

Anna let out a soft chuckle. “I’ll be right back.”

After she was gone, Jurina scanned the club in curiosity, noting how it was bustling with people tonight. On the main stage, the 20-year-old long, brow-haired Madoka, also called _Moripo_ , was dancing in rhythm on a loud upbeat music, while waitresses were running all over the place, actively taking orders and demands. As of strippers, not a single one was available, all entertaining clients at their tables. Jurina grew apprehensive, dreading she was going to relive the events occurred two weeks ago when Gekikara had been so highly requested, they had barely been able to talk more than ten, very short minutes.

As she continued looking around the place, her attention was unexpectedly caught by a long, dark-haired stripper flirting with a young, male Japanese client. Despite the distance and partial darkness, her silhouette seemed vaguely familiar and she squinted, trying to distinguish her features better. The longer she stared at her, the more she was persuaded they had already met. When she finally managed to put a name on her face, she gasped.

Not, it wasn’t possible.

It couldn’t be…

I couldn’t be Nana.

Jurina blinked rapidly. She had to be imagining things; it was the sole explanation possible. Nana couldn’t be that girl, for the mere reason she wasn’t an employee of the club. Jurina got distracted by a presence approaching and tilted her head, absently thanking Anna when she placed her ordered beer. Once she left, she glanced back towards the stripper, but was only granted with the sight of the client now sitting completely alone at his table, no sign of any girl whatsoever by his side.

Confusion washed over her.

What had just happened?

Had she mistaken a random stripper for Nana, or had she purely and simply imagined the whole scene? But why on earth would she come to her mind in the first place? No, she hadn’t lied when she had assured Mayu this night with Nana was only a one-time thing. Regretting was the last thing on her mind, not after she girl had fulfilled her physical needs so skillfully. Yet, she was resolute not to call her again.

She had no real interest in Nana.

At not a single moment, she had formed even the slightest emotional connection with her and felt no inclination to do so. During six months, there was no denying her relationship with Akane had developed into something more profound; that went beyond than the simple physical experience, but she had no intention of choosing a replacement in Nana. If Gekikara hadn’t provoked all those strong feelings within her, then it would have been another matter and maybe she would have been prone to reconsider.

But Gekikara had entered her life… and there was no turning back anymore.

“Gekikara finished with her client.” Jurina was still trying to process the inexplicable vision she just had when Anna addressed her once more. “She asked if you could join her upstairs.”

“What?” Jurina exclaimed, taken aback by the odd demand. “Why can’t she meet me here?”

“I have no idea,” Anna admitted. “She didn’t explain. I’m simply repeating what she told me. She’s waiting for you in room 2.”

Before she had time to ask more questions, the waitress’s presence was already requested by another client, and Jurina let the revelation sink in as she watched Anna drawing away. It didn’t make sense in the least. Why would Gekikara ask to see her upstairs, when they had constantly met in the main room until now?

For some reason she couldn’t exactly pinpoint, Jurina felt a little apprehensive about this unexpected turn of events but was conscious she would never get answers if she didn’t go straight to the source. Emptying her glass in one shot, she retrieved her vest and glanced in the direction of the upper floor, hesitation pausing her steps for a split second, before moving towards the staircase.

 

* * *

 

Jurina entered the private room, the first thing she noticed being the characteristic blue dim light falling upon her, and the matching colored walls surrounding her. When Akane worked at the club, she had had the opportunity to test every single VIP room the strip club had to offer, and the room n°2 – relevantly called The Blue Room – was probably one of her favorites. Spacious, with a massive U shaped eight seats black sofa and a white square table at the center, the room had all the necessary comfort to enjoy a pleasant evening.

It also had the particularity to be amazingly modern and filled with technology, from its unmistakable gigantic LCD TV screen, to its trendy large stereo system, the sound reverberating proficiently through the room thanks to the five Bose loudspeakers hanging from the walls in different strategic places. All this sophistication explained – not only why the room needed to be extremely well soundproofed – but also its expensive price.

If you entered the club and choose to spend some quality time with a stripper in that specific room, you better make every second worth it.

“You came. I was afraid you wouldn’t.”

At the sound of a delicate, feminine voice, Jurina looked towards the far left of the room, taking in a fully-dressed Gekikara stepping out of the changing room and approaching, entering progressively into the blue light. When she was close enough and their eyes met, Jurina didn’t miss the pleased expression plastering her beautiful face, and she followed her every move attentively as she extended her arm to push a button on the stereo system. Shortly after, a soft tune filled the air and enveloped them.

“Why did you want to meet me here?” Jurina asked hesitantly. Now that they were face to face, nothing was preventing her anymore from asking the question burning her lips. “We could have talked downstairs as usual.”

“There are too many people tonight.” Gekikara shook her head in light protest. “I feared we would be interrupted again. Besides, I like it better here. It’s private and quiet and much more comfortable. Don’t you think?”

“I–” Jurina didn’t know what to say. Gekikara had raised some valid points, yet she didn’t feel utterly at ease standing here. Glancing around the place in uncertainty, the thought of insisting and suggesting the other girl to go back to the main room crossed her mind. Gekikara’s intentions seemed at first glance innocent, yet she couldn’t ignore the initial purpose for those private rooms. If clients agreed to spend a great deal of money to enter one of those places, it rarely was for the sole purpose of talking.

“Sit down?” Jurina still felt a little unsure about this yet accepted and took a seat when Gekikara motioned the sofa behind her. “There are so many things I wanted to tell you, but first…” Gekikara came to join her side. “Where have you been?” she asked, her voice laced with concern. “I was afraid I would never see you again.”

Gekikara hadn’t hesitated to invade her personal space and was sitting so close that, if Jurina had leaned forward even a little, she could with ease have captured her exquisite lips into a kiss and tasted again their impossible sweetness. Jurina swallowed hard as the alarming thought invaded her head, forcing herself to resist the temptation. Their proximity reminded her how much she had terribly missed seeing her and she couldn’t help admiring every detail of her face, her eyes falling dangerously and far too frequently down those inviting lips.

“I missed you.” Jurina snapped out of her daze when a hand cupped her chin and soft fingers caressed her cheek. “I don’t know why you didn’t come last week but, it doesn’t matter anymore. You’re here now, and I’m not letting you leave until I obtained what I wanted.”

A red light switched inside Jurina’s head at her suggestive tone, but she didn’t have time to react that Gekikara had leaned in and claimed her lips. Shivers run down her spine at the contact, the feeling too pleasurable to stay idle very long. As she responded to the kiss with equal longing, savoring every inch of Gekikara’s addictive lips, a little voice emerged inside her head gradually, warning her to quickly put an urgent end to all this. 

The last time she had given in to Gekikara’s advances, she had barely been able to keep herself under control, only the public space preventing her from surrendering to her urges and putting her hands all over Gekikara’s gorgeous body. So why wasn’t she listening to that voice of reason and pushing the stripper away? If she didn’t stop her right now, there was a serious risk of seeing the situation escalate.

Her breathing was in disorder.

Gekikara was sucking on her lips with an unmistakable greed, begging for more, asking for entrance, and she didn’t have the mental strength to refuse her. Parting her lips, Gekikara’s tongue entered between them, exploring her mouth thoroughly and claiming it as hers. There was such ferocity in the movements of their entwined tongues, that Jurina was overwhelmed by their mutual burning desire.

Could Gekikara truly want her as much as she did? But she was completely clueless; she had no idea what she was getting herself into.

“Wait–” Jurina broke the kiss, catching her breath. “I thought you wanted to tell me something.” Her voice was unconsciously shaky after such an intense moment. “I think we should talk.”

“Do you really want to talk now?” Gekikara questioned with a hint of challenge. “We can talk after.” Her lips kissed her cheek then her jaw, before moving to her ear. “Later.”

“Geki–”

“No!” she interrupted quickly and drew back. “I don’t want you to call me that anymore, not when it’s only the two of us. My name is Rena. Call me by my name: my real name.”

Jurina sensed she had upset her and looked away, reluctant to accept her request. Until now, she had scrupulously kept calling her by her stage name, even after the stripper had divulged her real name at The Furukawa Lounge Bar. It was her vain attempt of keeping a professional distance between them. If she submitted, they would be entering a private sphere.

It was a dangerous line: one she was terrified of crossing.

Jurina was silent for a while, unsure what to say, until the stripper placed her hand on her cheek and turned her head gently to face her. “I know you’re attracted to me. I became aware of it the second time we met, when you asked to see me.”

“W–What?” A look of incredulity crossed Jurina’s features.

Amusement danced in Gekikara’s eyes. “Even the first time, when I was giving you a lap dance and you left right in the middle, I could tell you were more than interested. When you didn’t make a move on me after that, I thought maybe you believed the feeling wasn’t mutual and were keeping your distance because of it.”

“It’s true…” Jurina admitted hesitantly. “I was convinced you were only doing your job by being nice with me and attentive. I had no idea that–”

“That’s why I invited you out at the bar and said what I did,” Gekikara nodded in understanding. “I wanted you to see my interest was genuine and we both were looking for the same thing.”

Jurina fidgeted in her seat.

The stripper’s confident tone should have put her at ease, yet it did the opposite. Now, she was indeed conscious her feelings were not one-sided and the attraction mutual, but she couldn’t ignore one simple fact. Gekikara was mistaken about herself; she was convinced to be facing a simple, normal girl. And, as such, didn’t truly realize the full extent of what she was asking.

“Now, I don’t want you to move from that sofa.” Jurina raised an eyebrow at Gekikara’s calm, commanding voice. “I’m going to finish what I started months ago, and I won’t let you interrupt me this time.”

Puzzled by her last strange and enigmatic words, Jurina’s eyes followed her in curiosity as she left her side and moved towards the stereo system, stopping the pleasant, slow melody that had been playing in the room until now. When it was replaced by a much more sensual music and the stripper began dancing lasciviously and undressing in front of her eyes, realization dawned on her.

Gekikara was going to perform a lap dance.

_If I had it my way, I would take you down_

_If I had it my way, I would turn you out_

_And if my body had a say, I would come again_

_Scared of what I might say, 'cause I'm at the edge_

_And our eyes are crossing paths across the room_

_There's only one thing left for us to do_

Heart beating wildly, Jurina watched in fascination the stripper swaying her hips sensually and dancing along with the sexy, powerful music. The dim light was creating an intoxicating erotic atmosphere, turning the situation even more arousing. When the beat of the song sped up a little at the refrain, the stripper was left in only her red underwear, Jurina marveling at her flawless body and stunning curves.

She struggled to breath.

Gekikara danced her way towards the sofa, not waiting for her approval nor wasting time to open her legs and straddle her. As she kept rocking against her, every fiber of Jurina’s being was on fire, her fingers itching to touch her skin, the strong urge to ravish her breathtaking body painful to battle against. Yet, she managed to gather her last strength to avoid the temptation, aware a simple touch would only serve to fuel her growing hunger.

For both their sakes, she couldn’t let her proceed.

She desperately needed to stop her before it was too late.

Already, she could feel the bulge pushing in her pants against her boxers, begging for attention, and she was more than grateful for the dim light of the room, preventing the other girl from noticing her excitement. It was a risky situation, especially when Gekikara kept on provoking her again and again with her titillating dance, oblivious of what her teasing was unleashing deep within her.

After a little while, she ceased her movements and took a seat on her lap, surprising her with a hungry, demanding kiss. “Why are you not touching me?” she lamented, catching her immovable left hand and guiding it deftly to her hip. “You are allowed to touch me. I want you to.”

At the contact of her smooth skin, Jurina tried to pull her fingers away but Gekikara maintained them firmly in place and, as she stared lengthily into her alluring small brown orbs, distinguished easily the unmistakable lust mixed with determination dancing in them. Tonight, it was more than evident the stripper had every intention of having it her way. Jurina could feel her resolve faltering when her lips were assaulted in a fierce kiss, Gekikara keeping her hand inside hers and guiding it with assurance behind her back.

At a familiar click, Jurina’s eyes fluttered open, grasping the clever stripper had taken advantage of her daze to lead her exactly where she wanted, hearing the faint sound of Gekikara’s bra falling carelessly on the carpet. Her fingers stilled on her naked back and she stared at her exposed chest, realization dawning on her she was utterly at Gekikara’s mercy, and in the end unable to refuse her slightest desires. 

“J–Jurina?” When she pushed the stripper off her lap, she received a small confused look in return, but didn’t let her time to ask questions.

Acting swiftly, she gave free rein to her dominant side and pinned her down on the sofa, crawling on top of her the next moment. Gekikara’s surprise at the unforeseen switch of power didn’t last, moans of pleasure soon escaping her trembling lips when she succumbed to her animalistic desires and ravished her body. She latched her lips onto hers, having been separated from them for far too long, while running her fingers from her chest to her thigh, mapping with greed every inch of skin at her disposal.

As the slender body trapped beneath her began squirming under her touch, she could almost feel the heat of Gekikara’s want radiating from her skin. Jurina was aware she was losing control and should temper her fervor yet found simply impossible to detach herself from the exquisite body. Motivated by the progressive intensification of her lover’s moans, she continued her exploration further and left a trail of kisses down her body, her fingers meeting Gekikara’s G-string when she reached her nether regions.

A flicker of hesitation made her pause in her actions and she looked back to her, silently asking for permission to go further. 

“D–Don’t stop now,” Gekikara whined, her desperate pleas reached her ears.

Jurina didn’t need to be repeated twice.

Venturing her fingers between Gekikara’s legs, a new wave of arousal exploded inside her when she discovered through the fabric the incredible moisture. With haste, she removed Gekikara’s last piece of clothing and disregarded it aside without the slightest care, taking a moment to appreciate the erotic view offered. A light groan of protest soon informed her of Gekikara’s impatient longing and, not wishing to make her wait any longer, slipped a finger inside her.

Gekikara let out a gasp at the intrusion.

Carefully penetrating her slippery folds, Jurina slowly began to slide in and out. The finger continued its movement up and down at a slow pace, attentive to every reaction the stimulation provoked. The wet sounds were drowned completely by Gekikara’s uncontrollable moans and she risked a glance at her, witnessing in pride the ecstasy plastering her flushed features.

Without hesitation, she added another digit and delved deeper, her fingers rubbing with great ease against her walls and sensitive flesh. Her exploration caused Gekikara’s hips to buck up from the sofa, and it wasn’t hard to guess by her slightly erratic breathing she was getting closer and closer to her climax. Jurina accelerated the pace, thrusting her fingers faster and deeper inside her.

Joining her thumb to the equation and pressing it against her sensitive bud, it was all she needed to bring Gekikara over the edge. 

Without warning, the walls contracted her fingers and the body beneath her violently convulsed, spasming and bucking as a powerful orgasm hit her. Jurina held herself above her and watched her chest rising and falling rapidly, Gekikara still panting from the impassioned sex when she progressively came back to her senses and fluttered her eyes open to gaze back at her.

For a little while, she didn’t say anything, but the tired, smile of content moving to her lips spoke louder than words, telling her the experience had definitely been pleasurable for her. Giving her time to recover, Jurina pressed a few light kisses against her skin, until feeling a hand moving behind her head, and pushing her upwards. Obliging to the silent request, she faced her again, their lips connecting in a gentle, lingering kiss.

The feeling of Gekikara’s fingers moving towards the hem of her shirt alerted her and she broke the kiss hurriedly, capturing the wandering hand. 

The interruption was received with disappointment. “Why did you stop me? We still have plenty of time. I want to touch you and make love to you.”

The admission sparkled a new flame of desire, reminding her that her own needs remained unfulfilled. However, she knew precisely where this was heading to if she let Gekikara proceed with her actions. Refusing to take a single risk of ruining such a beautiful memory, she stopped the stripper’s hand when she attempted to remove her clothes again.

“No,” she replied seriously, but knew she couldn’t simply leave it like that when she faced incomprehension. “You’re tired, Rena,” she added as an excuse, this time more gently. “You need to rest. Alright?”

Jurina could see a protest forming on her lips yet she didn’t give her time to voice it, shushing her with a kiss. “Another time,” she murmured, brushing Rena’s fringe to the side tenderly. “Just not tonight.”

As she pronounced those final words – relieved when she managed to overcome Gekikara’s resistance and received a warm smile and a nod of agreement – she wondered deep down who she was truly trying to convince between the two of them.


	9. Chapter 9

When Jurina left the apartment and took the subway to join The Blue Moon, she couldn’t help reflecting once more upon the complicated nature of her relationship with Rena. After what had occurred the previous week-end in the VIP room, it was obvious another dangerous line had been crossed. And what about the fact that she could still feel the sensation of Rena’s smooth skin under her fingertips, and recall distinctively the explicit noises escaping the stripper’s quivering lips as she had made love to her?

The memory of that night was still so vividly imprinted in her mind, that it clearly didn’t help clear her head on the subject.

Jurina was well conscious she absolutely ought to think and act more rationally when she would face Rena this time. Indisputably, the situation had escaped her total control. Her initial objective to have a serious discussion with Rena had unfortunately not resisted the latter’s charms and relentless advances. In the end, Jurina’s repressed feelings for the stripper had burst free and she had given in to her deepest desires, ravishing the body so voluntarily offered to her.

After witnessing so many times in the past the stripper’s confident personality, Jurina feared the latter might not be so eager to accept to take a step back when they had already gone so far. There was no denying a part of her found Rena’s dominant side irresistibly appealing, yet she urgently needed to find a way to slow down things between them. Under no circumstances, she could let the situation escalate any further than that: not when there was one crucial element about her physical appearance Rena still ignored entirely.

A little while later, when Jurina walked in the club, she didn’t even have time to remove her vest fully – and even less to scan the main room in search of the desired stripper – that a familiar 20-year-old waitress was already arriving and standing right in front of her table. “Hello Jurina. How are you doing tonight?”

“Hi, Anna…” Jurina blinked, slightly caught off guard by her swift apparition. Generally, she was the one to call and address the waitress first when she needed something: not the other way around. “I’m fine, thanks. Busy night?”

“It’s alright for now, but Saturdays evenings are rarely restful. I wouldn’t be surprised if the club was packed with people in an hour.”

Jurina nodded in agreement. The strip club might be quiet and peaceful during workdays, it was a whole different story when it came to the week-end. It was the undeniable proof of its continued success: a success that didn’t show sign of diminishing since Jurina had entered the club for the first time almost a year ago.

“I suppose you want to see Gekikara? I’m sorry, but she hasn’t arrived yet.”

Jurina was taken aback by the revelation. “She hasn’t?” She checked the time on her phone in perplexity. “But she should already have started her shift half an hour ago.”

Anna gave her a small apologetic look. “I know, but exceptionally, she had to change her shift with a new girl tonight. She won’t be here until at least two more hours. Actually, that’s why I’m here... Gekikara asked me to tell you she would perfectly understand if you chose not to wait so long but to go home instead. In the meantime, she wanted me to offer you a drink.”

Jurina didn’t bother to hide her disappointment at the unfortunate news of Rena’s absence, and observed the bottle of beer Anna was casually placing in front of her. “Alright… Thanks for warning me.”

Without hesitation, she slipped a bill on the table.

“No, it’s not necessary.” Anna shook her head in protest at the gesture. “I told you: it’s on the house.”

“It’s not for the drink,” Jurina clarified. “It’s your tip.”

Anna paused for a moment, surprised, until a smile of gratitude moved to her lips. “You really don’t have to but thank you.”

Jurina followed absent-mindedly the waitress’s movements as she accepted the money and placed it in her pouch, before analyzing the consequences of Rena’s current absence. For the first time, she realized the real constraint that represented her lack of means of communication with the other girl. Until now, she had never really thought about it. After all, she knew easily where to find her, and could meet her every week-end at her convenience.

After such an unexpected turn of events, she strongly wished she had been warned beforehand. Pondering over her next course of action, curiosity got the best of her when she replayed in her head her previous conversation with the waitress. Gekikara had asked Anna to deliver a message to her in person. Surely, the request might have seemed a little odd to her?

“Anna...” Jurina addressed the waitress hesitantly. “What did Gekikara tell you about us exactly?”

“Gekikara?” Anna frowned, visibly genuinely surprised by the question. “Not much: she’s a private person. She’s always been kind and polite with me and all the other girls working at the club, but she never shared much about herself or her clients. Why do you ask?”

“Simple curiosity,” Jurina brushed it off with a tentative smile. “Thanks for answering.”

The waitress nodded and left her table but didn’t go very far as she stopped a few feet away. Startled, Jurina watched the other girl as she soon retraced her steps back to the table.

“Gekikara might not be talkative…” Anna admitted. “But I’ve been working at this club for a year now. Regulars’ faces. The specific way each stripper dances on stage, or expertly maneuvers their way to obtain more money from clients. Intimate gestures, or slightly unconventional interactions between strippers and customers. I guess it comes with the perks of the job: not much escapes my attention by now.”

Jurina processed the waitress’s statement, not missing the small amused and knowing look Anna was sending her. For someone she had always considered sweet and inoffensive, it now occurred to her she had misjudged her a little. If anything, Anna’s apparent angelic innocence concealed in fact an observant nature. A quiet and discreet girl who was astutely keeping to herself much more than she was obviously willing to reveal.

 

* * *

 

It was now the second bottle of beer Jurina was drinking, and the wait had never felt so painfully and atrociously long. Checking the time on her phone for the umptieth time, Jurina let out a despondent sigh when she noted in discouragement only a very short hour had passed since she had entered the club. Until now, her wish to meet and spend time with Rena had successfully motivated her to stay, yet she couldn’t ignore anymore the profound boredom invading her.

What could she say?

After Akane’s departure, Gekikara was the sole reason why she had accepted to come back to the club and had kept coming back diligently week after week. Without Gekikara’s precious presence around, the place just felt nothing but dull and unappealing.

Unfortunately, neither the alcohol or the countless stripper shows unfolding on stage were managing to keep her entertained tonight. Recalling the message Rena had delivered to the waitress, Jurina’s eyes flickered towards the exit, beginning to consider that option seriously. If Rena trustfully didn’t mind her leaving, then maybe she should just accept her suggestion and go home.

The club was now bustling with people – just as Anna had rightfully predicted – and a little voice growing inside Jurina’s head feared the possibility she might not even be able to spend that much time with Rena anyway once she would have arrived. Clearly, the mere idea of reliving that terribly frustrating evening – when she had barely been able to share more than a few words with Rena – certainly didn’t appeal to her in the slightest.

At the sound of a male voice announcing through the speakers the beginning of the next show, Jurina took a distracted peek towards the main stage. Jurina listened as it was soon revealed that a brand, new girl was about to perform, now recalling indeed a stripper had been hired to replace the recent departure of Nyan Nyan, the club’s oldest dancer. Apparently, the 29-year-old girl – who had made the bright days of The Blue Moon for so many years – had decided to retire from the profession.

Jurina left her second Kirin aside when she noted it was entirely empty, momentarily putting at the back of her head her intention to leave to focus her attention on the show instead. It wasn’t everyday the club hired a stripper, and Jurina found herself admittedly mildly curious about this new girl.

Making herself comfortable in the red, leather sofa, Jurina listened as a sensual music soon filled the air, and the lights illuminated the front of the stage. The moment after, a feminine silhouette appeared from the back of the stage, dressed sexily in black lace lingerie. Jurina followed her every move as the girl progressed slowly towards the spotlight, conceding the club had definitely made a clever decision by hiring her. Despite the fact the darkness was still hindering her facial features, the rest of her appearance spoke for itself. Whoever might be this new girl, she had been blessed with a gorgeous body.

When the light finally revealed the stripper’s identity, Jurina grew rigid.

No, it wasn’t possible.

It couldn’t be…

If Jurina had had more alcohol in her system, then she would have convinced herself her crazy imagination was playing tricks on her mind. Her two bottles of beer might have indeed numbed her senses slightly, she surely wasn’t wasted. This new stripper, currently dancing in rhythm with the sensual music and undressing on stage, didn’t just look like someone she knew. It wasn’t simply a shocking strong resemblance with a girl she had now been twice intimate with.

She was Nana.

The whole time of the performance, Jurina couldn’t detach her eyes from her. At this point, there was no mistake possible. Even though Jurina had a hard time wrapping her head around the possibility, Nana was beyond doubt that stripper dancing provocatively in front of the audience. When the music faded in the background and the lights went out a little while later, Jurina followed Nana’s retreating form until she disappeared from the stage and vanished from her sight.

After that night she had invited Nana over at her apartment, she had absolutely no intention of calling her a third time. They would not cross path anew: there was nothing Jurina was more positively certain of. But here she was, bringing into question her strongest certitudes. For a reason she couldn’t fathom, Nana was now a stripper at The Blue Moon. The precise same place where Rena was also working at.

_Exceptionally, she had to change her shift with a new girl tonight._

When Anna’s previous words came back to the forefront of her mind, everything clicked. Nana _was_ the new girl the waitress had mentioned. And, as she progressively recalled another strange event that had occurred the previous week, realization dawned on her that she had in fact already seen Nana at the club before today.

Her head began to throb as she tried to sort it all out.

After such a shocking discovery, she was more than relieved Rena still hadn’t arrived yet. Tonight, both strippers were thankfully not working at the club at the same time, but it was bound to happen at some point in the future. Jurina wasn’t naive: she was well conscious of the dangerousness such a risky situation represented. 

Deeply lost in her thoughts, Jurina failed to detect in time the new presence approaching her table. When she felt the sofa shifting beside her slightly, it was already too late. Jurina didn’t even need to turn around to discover which stripper had so casually joined her side as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The tantalizing perfume reaching her nostrils gave her identity away immediately.

“Hello, Jurina. I thought I had recognized you.”

Jurina’s breath caught inside her throat, Nana’s melodic voice tickling her skin as she leaned closer and gently kissed her cheek. Jurina tilted her head right towards the girl who had invaded her personal pace, her gaze falling prey to a familiar pair of captivating small brown eyes. For a long period of time, Jurina couldn’t even speak, shivering despite herself when Nana’s fingers slid sensuously over her bare forearm.

“N–Nana…” Jurina’s voice unintentionally quivered. “What are you doing here?”

Nana offered her a seductive smile. “I started working at this club two weeks ago. What about you? Is it your first time coming here, or are you a regular?”

As she spoke, Nana drew closer to her on the sofa. At this précised moment, Jurina seriously wished her body didn’t relish the proximity. Already, it was getting far too comfortable around the new presence, gradually shutting down the small voice inside her head warning her to put some cautious distance between them. From the very first minute Jurina had laid eyes on Nana, she had fell under the spell of her charms. And, right now, they were working on her so wonderfully.

“Us, meeting here. It can’t be a coincidence,” Nana continued, her fingers leaving her forearm to descend and rest on Jurina’s lap. “Do you want another drink?”

“It’s not a good idea,” Jurina said, trying to reclaim her thoughts.

Nana didn’t let herself get deterred for all that. “Why not? I only want you to have a good time.”

“No, I think I’d better go home…” Jurina avoided her gaze, feeling she desperately needed to extract herself from this tricky situation until it was too late.

“Oh, come on. Please don’t leave now.” Nana put her hand gently under Jurina’s chin, turning her face towards her. “I promise to be good company. Am I not always good company?”

The playful glint in Nana’s eyes sent a shudder of desire rippling through her. The more she kept insisting, the more Jurina felt herself falling back into her clutches. Nana represented such a sweet temptation: a temptation that was becoming harder to resist as the minutes were going by. “Alright.” Jurina heard herself saying. “But only one drink.”

“Of course…” Nana’s calm reply was accompanied by a malicious smile.

 

* * *

 

The third bottle got emptied in the blink of an eye.

When Nana raised her arm in the intent of calling the waitress again, Jurina didn’t let her proceed and caught her hand inside hers. If alcohol was already numbing her senses before, she could now feel more than ever its effects. The more the evening was progressing, the more she was losing control of her senses. At this point, she wasn’t even paying attention anymore to the subject of their conversation.

What were they talking about ten minutes ago? She would have been incapable of answering if someone had asked her that question.

For the umptieth time, her eyes fell down to Nana’s distracting, alluring lips. If it had been any other random stripper, she would never have permitted the bold, intimate gestures towards her. The light, fleeting kisses placed occasionally at the corner of her mouth. The hand remaining a moment too long on her shoulder, before caressing her forearm, causing her flesh to tingle. The wandering fingers moving up her thigh and approaching her midsection, gently insistent, but always carefully withdrawing at the last instant.

Those were the instinctive movements of a woman who knew how to please a person, especially when it came to a body that held no more secrets to her. The atmosphere was electrifying, and Nana was torturing her deliciously. Jurina was vainly trying to control the need building inside her, but Nana’s constant teasing was overcoming her last shred of resistance.

Nana’s lips spread widely into a satisfied smile at the obvious budge pressing up against Jurina’s pants. When the older girl leaned forward to whisper inside her ear, Jurina could already predict what she was about to say. “Let’s go upstairs…”

Jurina found herself incapable to refuse such invitation. 

  

* * *

 

The music playing softly in the background of the private room was like a soothing balm. The moment Nana had begun a sensual dance in front of her, Jurina had already all forgotten about her surroundings or the outside world. It was one of those too rare moments in her life where she was experiencing nothing but pure bliss. The mixture of alcohol and lust was creating a perfect combination, freeing her from all constraints.

No more voices inside her head haunting her.

No internal battles to fight.

All her doubts and insecurities had miraculously vanished, as if they had never existed in the first place.

Jurina followed the stripper’s every move as she performed her lap dance, soon feeling greatly unsatisfied with what Nana was offering. She didn’t simply want to look: she urgently needed physical contact. She had a deeper hunger to satiate, and she had every intention of obtaining what she desired tonight.

“Nana,” Jurina spoke up with gentle authority. “Take all your clothes off and come closer.”

Nana didn’t need to be repeated twice.

Disregarding aside her G-string – the very last piece of clothing covering her body by then – a fully nude Nana approached Jurina’s seated position on the sofa. Anticipation build up inside her when Nana didn’t ask for further instructions and dropped on her knees, her hand making its way towards Jurina’s crotch as she reached the jean’s zipper. Pulling it down slowly, she created an opening, not wasting time to take took hold of her already throbbing member. 

Jurina let out an appreciative gasp at the contact.

Nana’s fingers had gripped her sex as if she owned her, and Jurina found herself enjoying a little too much this possessive behavior of hers. Nana began stroking her with measured, slow motions. Soon, Jurina tried to match the girl’s hand with subtle thrusts of her pelvis, seeking as much friction as possible. In a few moments Nana lowered her head, resting her chin inches away from Jurina’s fleshy arousal.

Nana enveloped her lips around her sex and began to suck, with haste and method, anything to hit all the right spots and take more of the thick length of Jurina’s member into her mouth. Jurina was already moaning, her hand resting gently on Nana’s head to keep her mouth over her own sex. Jurina could feel her erect member growing stiffer and reacting to Nana’s flawless technique. But Jurina had to stop her, or she would come before the right time.

She didn’t want their time together to end too soon.

Pushing Nana away gently, their eyes locked as Jurina regarded the silent beauty glancing back at her expectantly. Tucking a strand of hair behind Nana’s ear, she leaned down to claim and savor Nana’s luscious lips. As she allowed their tongues to brush and plunge against each other, Jurina was well conscious of the influence Nana had on her at this précised moment. Nana was a powerful temptress: she was more than eager and plenty capable of satisfying her sexual appetite.

 But it wasn’t all there was to Nana. As they found themselves alone in this private room – far away from prying eyes and the harsh, judgmental society surrounding them – Nana also managed to achieve, even if temporarily, what Akane had once managed to accomplish in her position so many months ago.

Quench her irrepressible desire for acceptance. 


	10. Chapter 10

Rena was doing her best to keep her mind focused on her upcoming show on stage but her clumsy fingers, fumbling with her outfit endlessly, betrayed her true emotions as she was getting prepared in the dressing room. Tonight, it wasn’t the imminent show that rendered her so abnormally agitated. Her first nervous performances on the main stage of the strip club – when she was still a beginner back then – were already a far distant memory. After almost three months of working at The Blue Moon, Rena had acquired enough and necessary experience. Dancing provocatively and removing her clothes in front of an audience full of strangers didn’t cause her the same apprehension anymore.

No, what was preventing her at this précised moment from controlling her nerves was a different matter altogether. One specific issue related to a beloved dark, shoulder-length girl sitting at a table in the main area, but to her dismay not completely alone as Rena would have anticipated her to be. No matter how many times Rena kept repeating to herself she absolutely ought to keep her composure if she wished to deliver her next performance in the best conditions, the memory of what she had shockingly witnessed a few minutes ago kept flashing in her head and haunting her.

This Saturday night, when Rena had stepped inside The Blue Moon to begin her shift, a certain scene in particular had made her blink and pause in consternation. Under normal circumstances, a pleased smile would have instantly plastered her features at the view of Jurina, impatient to join her table and spend some quality time with the younger girl. However, this evening, her joy hadn’t lasted very long, when she had noticed a certain bold stripper sitting by Jurina’s side and flirting with her shamelessly.

Yes, Nana.

The précised same person with whom Rena had had a very courteous – yet serious discussion – the previous week-end, after listening to Anna’s stupefying revelation, and discovering what had happened in her absence. Undeniably, her little chat with Nana hadn’t had the expected impact. Otherwise, how could she explain the person newly recruited by the club was deliberately ignoring her request, and doing the exact opposite of what she had asked by approaching Jurina again?

_A week ago…_

_It was almost 3 a.m. when Rena arrived at The Blue Moon to begin her shift. As she suspected, the place was crowded at this late hour of the day, and Rena was conscious an extremely busy night awaited her. Making a beeline towards the dressing room to change, she hadn’t failed to notice – after a swift scanning of the main area – that Jurina was nowhere to be found._

_It was to be expected, Rena reasoned when she let the discovery sink in. And, not for a single instant, did she hold it against the younger girl for choosing to go home. When Rena’s superior had informed her the previous day she needed to change shifts with another girl, Rena hadn’t dare to protest, yet welcomed the news with great disappointment. The fact Jurina was one of the first things that came to her mind was the undeniable proof of how important the other girl had become in her life. Rena knew she needed to find a way to warn her in advance of the change of plans, if she hoped to meet her that Saturday._

_Unfortunately, her best intentions were put to an abrupt halt when realization dawned on her she had entirely forgotten to ask for Jurina’s phone number the last time they met. The previous week-end, she was decided to finally exchange phone numbers with Jurina, yet the thought ended up slipping her mind completely the instant they had entered the VIP room._

_Her unfortunate oversight was preventing her from warning Jurina in advance, but Rena felt uncomfortable leaving her in the dark about the change of shifts, and even more to make her wait for hours in vain. Contemplating a solution, her thoughts soon drifted to Anna, knowing she could trust that specific waitress to deliver a message to Jurina for her. Rena had always been on good terms with all the employees of The Blue Moon yet Anna was granted with human qualities that appealed to her the most, amongst them her kindness and great discretion._

_Most obviously, her opinion was equally shared by Jurina. Indeed, Rena hadn’t failed to notice that – when it came to people she interacted with – Jurina followed an impeccable routine, and always chose to call Anna when she wanted to place an order._

_When Rena approached the waitress tentatively with her request, the latter gladly accepted. Anna’s cooperation brought her undeniable relief and lifted a small burden from her shoulders. No, she unfortunately would not be able to meet Jurina on the following day, but at least, she would have been able to warn her of the change of plans. Hopefully, it was a one-time thing, and simply postponing their next meeting to the following week-end._

_That’s why, this Saturday night, as soon as Rena finished swapping her daily clothes with her work outfit, she immediately went in search of the waitress. Her previous observation had been enough to note Jurina had already left by now, but she still wanted to have a small chat with Anna about it. It didn’t take her long to spot the waitress occupied with a customer and – waiting patiently aside for her to finish taking his order – reduced the distance once she was finally done and available._

_“Hi, Anna. Has everything been going well with you this evening?”_

_“Rena…” At the sound of her voice, the waitress turned around, a gentle smile instantly plastering her features. “Yes, thanks for asking. I guess you wish to know if I managed to see Jurina tonight? I did, and I delivered the message for you.”_

_“You read my mind.” Rena found herself slightly amused by the waitress’s perspicacity. “Thank you very much, I appreciate it. Did she accept the drink?”_

_“She did,” Anna confirmed. “She was manifestly disappointed by the news of your absence, but she accepted the nice gesture and stayed for a little while.”_

_Rena felt greatly relieved by the news. “I feared she would leave immediately. It’s good to hear she still managed to enjoy herself.”_

_“Yes, I think she did…”_

_Rena frowned when she read the perceptible, slight hesitation in the waitress’s tone. “She didn’t? Did anything in particular happen in my absence?”_

_“It’s just that…” Anna trailed off in discomfort._

_Rena couldn’t help but grow a bit concerned by Anna’s strange behavior. If anything, the young waitress had never been good at concealing her emotions. And, right now, Rena had the strong impression there was something she was not telling her. Some piece of information she was withholding from her, and apparently linked to Jurina._

_After what felt like an eternity, Anna finally spoke up. “The new stripper approached her.”_

_Rena blinked a few times. “The new… What new stripper? Do you mean… Nana?”_

_“Yes…” the waitress let out. “Jurina was sitting alone at her table, when Nana came to join her side. She stayed with her for a little while.”_

_“She approached her and stayed with her?” Rena repeated in bewilderment._

_“Nana is still a beginner,” Anna continued cautiously. “I’m sure she wasn’t aware that Jurina is one of your regulars. Otherwise, she surely would never have done it.”_

_Rena didn’t miss Anna’s small attempt to sound reassuring, but the revelation was catching her completely off guard. And her small reminder of the existing general agreement failed to alleviate her profound uneasiness. Just as Anna had mentioned, there was indeed an implicit principle going on amongst the strippers. Girls were free to address potential prospects and new customers, but you didn’t approach or steal each other’s regulars._

_The fact Nana had just done that was an unprecedent situation. And what about the fact that Jurina had not objected to her presence? Even before Rena had added Jurina to her list of regular clients, not once had she witnessed the younger girl manifesting the slightest interest in another stripper. In fact, after keenly noting the other girls didn’t even attempt to seduce Jurina, she figured the latter had most probably already rejected the advances of more than a few ones in the past._

_Then how come had Jurina so easily accepted Nana at her table?_

_A new girl to add it all?_

_“Do you know if Nana has finished her shift?” Rena asked, after glancing around the main area, and she didn’t detect the stripper’s presence._

_“She hasn’t yet,” Anna replied, nodding her head in the direction of the private rooms upstairs. “She’s with a customer. Why?”_

_“Thank you for informing me about what happened,” Rena said and attempted a small smile of gratitude, one that failed to veritably reach her lips. “You’re right: Nana is still new to this club. I’ll have a talk with her.”_

_Rena didn’t have to wait long to see Nana. A few minutes had merely passed that the new girl was leaving a VIP room, her hand attached to the arm of a young, male client. A customer visibly plenty satisfied with the services Nana had offered, considering Rena caught him addressing the stripper one last time before they parted, and informing her with a kiss on the cheek he would definitely come back._

_Rena might have been working at The Blue Moon for only three months, she could easily read their body language and draw her own conclusions. Even though Rena limited her activities to simple shows on stage and lap dances in private, it was common knowledge a few strippers sometimes offered intimate services. And, after watching closely the interaction between Nana and her client, she could tell the new girl belonged to that last category._

_It might be impossible for her to tell for certain what had occurred in that room, she had a good feeling Nana might not have limited herself to a casual lap dance. Rena wasn’t one to judge the girls who decided to offer those kinds of services but, after recently discovering Nana had seduced Jurina, felt despite herself a small tinge of unease when it came to that new girl in particular._

_Nana had only started working at the club a week ago, and they hadn’t had the chance to share more than a few occasional, polite words. However, it quickly came to Rena’s attention Nana had a powerful seductive game. Once she began pursuing a customer with her advances, she never backed away until she obtained what she wanted. Within a week, Nana already had an impressive record of private sessions upstairs._

_“Nana,” Rena called the stripper as she was splitting ways with her male customer, prompting the other girl to turn around. “Do you have a moment?”_

_“Oh, Rena.” The other stripper seemed genuinely surprised to see her, but still nodded in agreement. “Sure. Did you need anything?”_

_“I wanted to talk to you,” Rena started, somewhat unsure how to proceed. Never until now had she needed to address that kind of issue with another stripper. “I’ve been told you approached a young Japanese girl earlier, Jurina. I know you’re new to this club, that’s why I wanted to tell you she’s actually one of my regulars.”_

_“She is?” Nana exclaimed. “I had no idea.”_

_Given Nana’s genuine, confused expression, Rena could tell the girl was not lying about it. Nana’s reaction was not only the proof of her honest mistake: it also led her to conclude Jurina had visibly not deemed fit to mention her at all. Jurina’s strange omission couldn’t help but disturb her._

_“Are you trying to tell me that you don’t want me to approach her again?” Nana frowned. “Is that why you came to talk to me?”_

_Not wishing to be too blunt, Rena opted for a diplomatic approach instead. “It’s not a formal rule but…” Rena said carefully. “We do try as much as possible to respect each other’s customer base.”_

_“I see…” Nana nodded. “To be honest, I had no idea about this general agreement. But, don’t you think it should be up to the client to decide who they want to see? She was all alone, and I figured she might want some company. I didn’t force her into anything: she followed me upstairs willingly.”_

_Nana’s very last words made her freeze. Earlier on, Anna had said the new girl had made contact with Jurina. At not a single moment, had she mentioned a private session. Could it possibly have escaped Anna’s attention? Or had she deliberately hidden that information from her? After such a shocking revelation, Rena did her best to keep her composure, but couldn’t ignore that unpleasant feeling of jealousy filling her chest._

_“I’m sorry, but I really have to go now,” Nana smiled politely and took a step back. “It’s the end of my shift. Have a nice evening, Rena.”_

_Rena didn’t have the opportunity to add another word that the other girl had already put an end to their conversation and turned on her heels. As Rena watched her walking in the direction of the staircase, she tried not to look too much into the fact the other girl had left without explicitly agreeing to her request._

Rena wasn’t a person who got easily angry or unreasonably upset. It was uncommon of her to raise her tone, or let her emotions cloud her better judgment. She was a decided person, who knew what she wanted in life, and didn’t back away once she had a clear objective in mind. However, when it came to conflicts or unexpected issues, she had a tendency to prefer a diplomatic approach. Nana’s appalling off-handedness was challenging her profound human values. At this point, the stripper’s uncooperative behavior wasn’t simply disturbing her: it was also slightly beginning to infuriate her.

It was such an unfamiliar negative feeling, Rena deeply wished she wasn’t letting herself get so affected by this whole unnerving situation. The more she reflected upon it, the more she became conscious her relationship with Jurina was the unique reason for her current turmoil. Since her first encounter with the younger Japanese girl, her life had undoubtedly never been the same anymore. These last few months, her attachment towards Jurina had kept growing stronger, until the point she couldn’t legitimately consider her as a mere client.

It was an unprecedent situation for her: one she knew to be not only unconventional, but also strongly discouraged in this field of work. Rena was well aware there might be repercussions if she chose to take the next step with Jurina. If it came to her employer’s attention, there was equally a non-negligible risk it could endanger her position in the club. Strippers were required to act impeccably professional at all times. Once they stepped inside the place to work, it was mandatory to keep their private life separate. Personal feelings did not have a place in this nocturnal world.

After weeks of desperate attempt to keep her relationship with the other girl strictly professional, she couldn’t repress her feelings much longer. How could she ignore the genuine happiness filling her heart each time she caught sight of the young student? How could she ignore how fast time flied in Jurina’s company, and the immediate regret that would followed when she was forced to leave her side?

In the end, Rena had chosen to follow her instincts. To listen to her profound conviction that she would be making a big mistake if she let this opportunity pass. Being upfront with Jurina had been one of her best decisions. Even more when the other girl had responded to her advances positively, and they had enjoyed such a pleasant time at The Furukawa Lounge Bar. Rena was a perspicacious person: Jurina’s mutual interest in her hadn’t escaped her keen attention.

Despite all the signs showing her that they had truly forged a physical and emotional connexion, Jurina’s cautious approach of their relationship was something Rena couldn’t fully comprehend. The physical attraction was evident: even pleasurably electrifying at times. Yet, Jurina had strangely and inexplicably been placing a limit to their intimate interactions. A boundary Rena had been more than delighted and admittedly proud to break that evening in particular in the VIP room, when Jurina had made love to her with a burning passion Rena had waited and longed for so many lonely nights.

After that unforgettable night, Rena was persuaded her relationship with Jurina had taken a ground-breaking step forward. Nana’s unexpected appearance into their life was abruptly calling into questions her deepest beliefs.

 

* * *

 

Something was not right.

Jurina simply couldn’t shake off that bad feeling from the moment she had noticed Rena arriving at The Blue Moon. They hadn’t been able to share a word yet – as the stripper had immediately made her way towards the dressing room to get prepared for work – but the brief silent look they had exchanged had been enough information to tell Jurina something was off with the older girl.

The more she tried to analyses the flash of discomfort she had distinguished in Rena’s expression, the more Jurina wondered if it couldn’t be related to the fact she wasn’t exactly being alone at her table right now.

“Nana…” Jurina addressed hesitantly the stripper sitting by her side. “I think you should go and entertain a different customer.”

“Why?” Nana replied, her confusion manifest. “Is something wrong?”

Jurina didn’t have the chance to reply that a loud upbeat music filled the air, announcing the beginning of the next strip show. At once, Jurina directed her attention towards the main stage, knowing Rena was actually the next stripper expected to perform. If there was one thing Jurina surely never missed and always enjoyed watching to the highest level, it was Gekikara’s spellbinding shows. However, this night in particular, not for one second would she have anticipated the strange scene she was about to witness.

Yes, the stripper did assure the show.

No major incidents were to deplore, and the attentive audience seemed to genuinely enjoy the performance she delivered. However, Jurina’s keen attention didn’t fail to detect her dancing seemed off from time to time. Surprisingly, her moves were less fluid than usual, the choreography equally filled with small, technical mistakes. To add it all, she wasn’t always in perfect synchronization with the rhythm: on a few occasions, Jurina noted some brief delay with the music. All those elements were actually quite subtle, and Jurina figured most customers had probably not been troubled by it, or even noticed a single thing.

However, after watching countless of her shows, Jurina had acquired significant experience to pay attention to details. This night in particular, the proof was laying in front of her very own eyes that Rena was definitely not in a good day. She was being far too clumsy and distracted.

Nana, who hadn’t missed the way Jurina was following the main show in interest, slowly spoke up. “There’s something I meant to ask you. Why didn’t you mention that you were one of Gekikara’s regulars?”

Jurina tore her eyes away from the stage. “What?” She stared back at her in stupefaction. “How do you know about that?”

“Last week, after you left, Gekikara came to talk to me,” Nana explained. “She was nice and polite, but I couldn’t help but notice she seemed upset that I had been spending time with you.”

“How does she know that we…?” Jurina stiffened. “Wait. You talked to her?”

“Only a few minutes,” Nana confirmed. “To be honest, her strange reaction puzzled me. It almost sounded like she believed you two were exclusive.”

Jurina swallowed her unease. “You didn’t tell her what we…”

“Why would you believe such a thing?” Nana shook her head negatively. “I never disclose what happens with my clients. Besides, I wouldn’t betray your confidence.”

Nana’s final words should have been sufficient to reassure her yet did little to alleviate her growing apprehension. As the music faded in the background and the lights went off, Jurina noticed from her peripheral vision Rena leaving the stage. After what Nana had revealed, Jurina was beginning to put the pieces together.

Jurina’s eyes flickered nervously towards the dressing room: it was only a matter of minutes until Rena would be coming out of that door. “Nana, go and entertain other customers,” Jurina said, a certain urgency in her voice. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine on my own.”

For an instant, Jurina was afraid the stripper might protest – as she didn’t bulge immediately – but was relieved when she didn’t insist and ended up complying. Following Nana’s retreating form as she went to seduce another client at a table nearby, Jurina’s fingers played with her bottle of beer, trying to figure out what to possibly reply if Rena decided to question her on her interactions with Nana.

Last week, she had made a tremendous mistake. She should never have relented to Nana’s advances, and even less accepted to follow her upstairs. Why didn’t she listen to her better judgment and push her away? Her unfortunate moment of weakness was now placing her in a difficult and tricky situation.

“Hello, Jurina. Can I sit with you?”

At the familiar sound of Rena’s voice, Jurina’s eyes flew up to meet hers. “Hi, Rena. Of course...”

Rena took a seat by her side and Jurina regarded her with a certain concern, trying to assess her unreadable features. She didn’t have the chance to add another word that a loud male laughter distracted the older girl, prompting the stripper to divert her attention towards its direction. Jurina turned to follow her gaze in curiosity, unease filling her chest when she realized it was Nana and her middle age – slightly wasted male client – who were now monopolizing Rena’s attention.

Rena’s eyes were fixed on the scene unfolding a few tables away, and Jurina couldn’t ignore the way her features changed ever so slightly, an unmistakable flash of discomfort progressively making its way inside her small brown orbs. Jurina watched her anxiously for a little while, before tentatively reaching for her hand. “Why don’t we go upstairs? It’s incredibly noisy tonight, don’t you think?”

Rena dragged her eyes away from the other table. “You want us to go upstairs?” She looked back at her in astonishment.

“I do,” Jurina answered with a decided nod. “Let’s go talk in a quieter place.”

 

* * *

 

Rena didn’t put any music on, nor did she offer to give her a lap dance. As soon as they walked in the room, Jurina removed her vest and took a seat on the sofa, following apprehensively the stripper’s every move as she finally came to join her side. There was a flicker of hesitation in Rena’s expression as they regarded each other in silence, until the stripper reached forward tentatively to gently press her lips against hers. Jurina fluttered her eyes close, welcoming the affectionate gesture as Rena’s mouth moved over hers in exquisite tenderness.

Rena’s lips were warm on hers, the sweet throbbing of lips making her shift closer to her. Taking time to familiarize herself again with the feeling of Rena’s soft lips brushing hers delicately, Jurina was surprised by how gentler and not possessive the moment turned to be. It was a light kiss, but a tender lingering one. Jurina ran her fingers through Rena’s hair before caressing the length of her back, wrapping a protective arm around Rena’s waist. When, after a little while, the stripper slowly pulled away from the kiss, Jurina’s lips were still tingling in remembrance of her touch.

“Jurina…” Rena’s voice sank to a whisper, uncertainty creeping into her face. “I want you to be honest with me. Do you regret what happened between us? What we did that day?”

Jurina’s expression turned to one of incredulity. “Why would you… Why would you think that?”

“Since we’ve known each other, you never went with another girl. You even constantly refused when I offered to give you a private lap dance. So, when I heard you accepted to spend some time alone with Nana…”

Jurina looked down, unable to hold her gaze, a tight knot forming in her stomach. All the way here, she knew there was a high risk the stripper would broach this subject in particular at one point of the evening, but now that she was confronted with those tricky questions, she couldn’t find the right words to justify her actions.  

“I don’t know why you did it,” after a significant pause, Rena confessed. “But I want to believe there’s really something genuine going on between us. Am I wrong?”

Jurina glanced up apprehensively, distinguishing the mixture of hope and expectation in those brown orbs that were staring back in waiting silence. “I like you, Rena...” Jurina tried to steady her shaking hand when she cupped Rena’s cheek tenderly. “I really, really do. But I’m not the person you think I am.”

“It’s not the first time you’re saying that…” Rena’s brow creased with worry. “What do you mean by that?”

Jurina’s heart began to beat in a quick, uneasy rhythm. Not matter how much she mulled it over in her head and desperately tried to come up with an escape plan, she could sense the other girl would not let it go until she had received a satisfying explanation. For months, she had held her tongue, refusing to reveal the shameful truth about herself. But Rena was pushing her to her limits.

Jurina couldn’t hide the sudden tremor in her voice. “You don’t want to know. Trust me, you don’t want to–”

As she began to edge away on the sofa, Rena’s hand hurriedly closed over her wrist. “I want to know,” Rena protested, determination brightening her brown orbs. “Whatever is troubling you, you can tell me.”

Jurina knew she was going to deeply regret later what she was about to do next, but they had irrevocably reached a point of no return. Her hand was slightly shaking when she caught Rena’s fingers inside hers, and she slowly guided them towards her body. Halting a few inches away from her waist, she raised her gaze to Rena – finding the other girl watching her enigmatically – before pressing Rena’s palm just below her waist.

The reaction was immediate.

Rena let out a sharp gasp, the vivid reaction enough information to tell Jurina she had clearly felt the unexpected bulge against her pants. Fingers swiftly withdrew from her hold, incredulous disbelief plastering Rena’s pale features. Jurina’s chest clenched with pain: she had just gotten the exact reactions she had always dreaded.

“That’s why I didn’t want to let you get too close to me. Because I knew… I knew it would be too much for you to handle.”

Jurina waited. She waited and waited again for the stripper to say something – anything – but to her greatest dismay, she received nothing but a deafening silence in return.

Jurina pulled herself to her feet shakily, the raw hurt glittering in her dark eyes when she chanced one last glance at the other girl. But Rena never spoke – almost as if her voice was frozen – nor did she raise her gaze to face her. Forcing her legs to move, Jurina strode toward the door and went out without a backward glance, knowing her weekly visits to The Blue Moon had just come to an end.


	11. Chapter 11

Tonight, something was definitely not right with her.

Jurina grabbed the bed sheet and pulled it up to cover her nude form, a frustrated groan escaping her lips as she stared helplessly at the dark ceiling above her head. The bedroom had fallen instantaneously quiet, only the sound of Nana’s soft breathing reminding her she wasn’t alone. The naked girl laying by her side wasn’t saying a word nor making a single move, yet Jurina could practically feel Nana’s questioning eyes boring into her, evidently curious to discover the reasons behind her unusual sexual impotence.

On this Friday evening, Jurina had used the opportunity that Mayu was absent and spending the night at Yuki’s place to invite Nana over. Her hope was that the feminine presence would procure plenty distraction to finally get out of her head a certain long, dark-haired stripper. However, nevermind Nana’s powerful charms and indisputable technical skills when it came to the sexual field, Jurina hadn’t been able to truly enjoy herself since she arrived.

At first, when she had welcomed the girl into her apartment, Jurina was pretty confident Nana would successfully be able to put her in the right mood. Soon, she found herself greatly disillusioned. The sensual curves of Nana’s attractive, gorgeous body. The provocative, dirty words Nana had playfully whispered inside her ear. The pleasant touch of Nana’s slender, expert fingers that had teased her member through the fabric of her boxers, until completely stripping her bare.

Unfortunately, none of Nana’s usual, clever tricks had managed to produce the desired effect. When a voice inside Jurina’s head was urging her to pull herself together and take advantage of the situation to take her mind off things, her body was manifestly not on the same page. No matter how willingly she had accepted every one of Nana’s advances, and meekly allowed the older girl to do as she pleased with her body, the latter stubbornly refused to respond to any verbal and physical stimulation.

The feeling of Nana’s warm insides enveloping her sex as Nana climbed on top of her and slowly rode her should have been sufficient to finally fire up her sexual desire, but Jurina was forced to note it wasn’t working as she expected. For a little while longer, she let the older girl continue and set the pace – convinced the tide would surely turn in her favor at minute now – only to have her hopes ultimately crushed.

Despite Nana’s best efforts, she wasn’t getting excited.

She had faced nothing but Nana’s astonishment when she had decidedly seized the other girl’s hips and asked her to stop. The stripper had opened her mouth a few times, as if she wanted to protest, but had complied when she had firmly yet gently repeated her demand, Nana removing herself from her lap and quietly lying by her side the moment after. 

“It happens to everyone,” Nana’s soft, reassuring tone eventually broke the silence between them. “Don’t worry too much about it.”

“It never happened to me before,” Jurina immediately retorted.

“Maybe you’re not in the mood for it today,” Nana confidently added. “Is something troubling you lately? Do you want to talk about it?”

Jurina tilted her head in Nana’s direction, considering her offer. Of course, Nana was perfectly right: she had indeed not been herself lately. More than three weeks had already passed since her last encounter with Rena at The Blue Moon and, despite the painful way in which they had parted, the beautiful stripper still haunted her nights. Returning to the club to see her again? It was simply inconceivable.

Jurina would never be able to erase from her head the stupor she had witnessed in Rena’s eyes upon the revelation of her true nature.

Nevermind how many times Jurina kept repeating to herself that she had undoubtedly been rejected and she ought to move on for her own mental sanity, it was easier said than done. Rena had left such an imprint on her heart; she had awoken new feelings within her. If only she had bravely held her tongue for a few more weeks, then she would have been able to relish Rena’s presence in her arms a little while longer.

Buy herself more time.

Delay the inevitable a long as possible, until the harsh reality came crushing her fantasy of finding someone who could fully accept her for who she was.

At night, when she couldn’t find sleep and remembered with anguish what she had irrevocably lost because of her abnormality, Jurina couldn’t help but curse being born different. If she could have been the girl Rena wanted her to be, then maybe they would have had a future together. But it was all over; there was no turning back now that Rena had discovered the dreadful truth about her.

“Why don’t we try something else? Something new?”

Nana’s voice suddenly jolted her out of her thoughts and, progressively coming back to reality, Jurina brought her full attention back on her. “Something new?”

“Yes. A position we never tried before,” Nana suggested, stroking Jurina’s arm sensuously. “Or maybe I could fulfill one of your fantasies?”

“A fantasy? I don’t have any.”

Nana leered at her slyly. “Oh come on, everyone has a fantasy. Don’t you have a crush on a celebrity? A singer, an actress. Whoever it might me, we could do some fun roleplay.”

“Wha–” Jurina couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was true she had explored her sexuality and played many different sexual games with Akane, but she had never ventured into that kind of territory. “Wait, you are really serious.”

“Of course,” Nana grinned maliciously. “You don’t need to tell me who it is, only to play along and pretend she is me. I’ve already done this plenty of times: I promise you will enjoy it. What about an idol? They are pretty popular nowadays.”

“I have no interest in idols,” Jurina scoffed.

Nana raised an eyebrow. “You don’t? But I’m sure there has to be a girl you like. There is always someone.”

Jurina smiled uncomfortably at her. “I know you’re only trying to help me out, but I’m not sure I’m in the mood for some roleplay.”

“You didn’t try to deny it,” Nana smirked in victory. Leaning forward, her lips trailed over Jurina’s jaw, then down her neck, leaving a few wet kisses along the way. “Trust me. It will be fun.”

“No, it’s not a good idea.” Jurina tried to backpedal, catching Nana’s wandering fingers as they were sneakily pulling the bedsheet below Jurina’s chest. “Really, it’s going to be fine. The money is on the table. Just take it and lea–”

Jurina gasped when her lips were abruptly captured into a possessive kiss, widening her eyes in stupefaction at Nana’s action when the kiss was broken, and the stripper’s mischievous expression fell on her. “What does she look like? Long, dark hair? Attractive? Confident personality? Something is telling me this is your type of girls. Am I wrong?”

Jurina swallowed in unease: she didn’t like the dangerous direction this conversation was taking. Even less when Rena’s image invaded her mind so easily, as Nana was describing her with such disturbing yet astonishing accuracy. “It’s best– It’s best if we don’t continue,” Jurina controlled her voice with an effort.

“You would like to have sex with her, don’t you?” Nana ignored her protest and smiled suggestively, running her fingers down Jurina’s exposed chest. “If you could have her right now, what would you do to her?”

Unceremoniously, Nana’s right hand cupped her sex underneath the bedsheet.

Jurina shuddered at the contact, fluttering her eyes close when Nana slowly began stroking her. Trying desperately to regain some semblance of control over the situation, Jurina tentatively raised her arm to reach Nana and stop her, only to have her determination falter midway. Much as she didn’t want to admit it, Nana’s dirty talk had placed strong, impure thoughts inside her head, triggering her sexual arousal.

“That’s it. Don’t repress your inner desires.” An amused, knowing smile adorned Nana’s features while she increased the pace of her motions around her sex. “You can do anything you want with me. Anything.”

 _No, this is not… This is not Re–_ Jurina tried to struggle against the sweet temptation, but knew she was already far too gone when she felt her member pulsating, at last giving her what she had wanted all evening. Jurina’s breath came in quick shallow gasps, a bright flare of lust springing into her eyes when she met Nana’s proud, almost insolent gaze.

Nana perfectly knew the effect and influence she was having on her; she could feel it distinctly between her fingertips. 

Jurina straightened up in bed and reached for Nana’s hand, already half-regretting her action when she pulled her fingers away from her stiff member. She was more than conscious that her imagination was playing tricks on her mind and it wasn’t actually Nana she was seeing anymore, but she couldn’t find the will nor the strength to care. As Rena’s face lingered in her memory, overlapping for a brief instant with Nana’s, it was more than obvious the girl pleasuring her right now had unraveled her darkest secret. Yes, she wanted Rena so badly. But she didn’t only want to possess and freely ravish every inch of her skin; she also needed her undivided acceptance and love. 

Two things she would never have.

“Turn around,” Jurina’s voice came out husky, heavy with lust. “I want you. Now.”

Nana’s sudden smile had a spark of eroticism that sent her pulses racing. “Finally.” Nana reduced the distance with her lips, meeting hers in a gentle drugging kiss. “We’re getting somewhere.”

When their mouths parted, the stripper playfully nibbled on Jurina’s earlobe before complying to her demand and turning her back on her. Jurina kneeled down and positioned herself behind her, her hands not wasting time to explore the soft lines of Nana’s naked back. Nana’s hips instinctively began moving in anticipation when Jurina’s fingers reached her waist, then moved lower to caress her inner thighs.

Jurina slipped a finger through Nana’s folds, finding the waiting warmth, the telling wetness that signaled her readiness. It was all the invitation she needed to seize Nana by the waist and, poking the tip of her hard member at her entrance, penetrated her without hesitation. From Nana’s lips came out a soft cry, that soon transformed into somewhat of a low moan when Jurina slowly pushed inside, deeper and deeper.

Jurina’s eyes were transfixed watching as her sex went all the way in, before sliding nearly all the way out, repeating the same process a few times. As sensations overwhelmed her and she knew Nana’s body could now fully take it, she allowed herself to get more aggressive, letting her sexual desire rage through her. Jurina moved back inside Nana and took her hard and fierce, plunging deeper.

Nana tightly clutched the bedsheet beneath her for support as Jurina pumped into her at a steady rhythm, the sound of their bodies slamming hard together progressively filling the air. While Nana was now moaning more loudly than before, Jurina’s breath was coming out in pants, and she knew she was on the brink of losing it. In the middle of her frenzy, Jurina vaguely distinguished Nana’s slightly erratic voice encouraging her no, urging her to continue, but she knew she wouldn’t have been able to stop even if she wanted.

Jurina slid her hand between Nana’s legs, determined to share the pleasure and have the stripper come with her. Alternating between caressing and squeezing her sensitive spot, she suddenly felt Nana convulsing around her sex, shuddering and shaking as a last moan of ecstasy slipped through her trembling lips.

Jurina thrusted one last time and held herself still, exploding inside her in a long, intense climax. Jurina collapsed on top of Nana’s back, panting from exertion, before coming back to her senses and summoning the little energy she had left to roll off her and flop onto her back. Lazily throwing an arm over her forehead, Jurina listened to the sound of her own heart pounding violently, contemplating what had just happened.

They laid there in silence for a while, giving each other enough time to fully recover from the pleasurable experience, until Nana’s soft murmur sounded in the bedroom. “So it’s her. I should have it seen coming after what happened at the club.”

Jurina frowned, trying to make sense of Nana’s enigmatic words, before turning around to look at her. “What are you talking about?”

Nana’s eyes widened in realization. “You didn’t notice it, did you? While were having sex, you whispered someone’s else name. Rena’s name.”

Jurina stiffened at the revelation. Hastily, she searched her memory to try and recall when such a thing could have possibly happened but to her greatest dismay, her mind was a complete blank. How come she couldn’t remember it at all? Her stupefaction gave way to a progressive feeling of unease, realizing what she had involuntarily said in Nana’s presence. “Nana, I–”

“Calm down. I don’t mind,” Nana chuckled softly. “Besides, it was the whole purpose of this little game, wasn’t it? To have you fulfill one of your fantasies. But there’s something I don’t understand…” Nana’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Rena likes you too, doesn’t she? So why are you here with me, and not with her?”

Jurina averted her gaze, her chest clenching in pain as her last encounter with Rena came rushing back with vivid clarity. Those last dreadful minutes that had signed the end of their short and fragile relationship. “She discovered the truth about me and…” Jurina steadied her voice with an effort. “And she rejected me.”

Jurina turned away without waiting for a reply, not wanting to be subjected to Nana’s pity. The room fell abruptly quiet, Jurina realizing in dismay her emotions were getting the best of her when she felt a few silent tears sliding down her cheeks. All of a sudden, she heard the mattress slightly shifting behind her back, caught off guard when she felt Nana putting an arm around her waist and holding her close. 

Jurina didn’t know where this unexpected affectionate gesture was coming from, yet she didn’t once try to break free from the comforting embrace.

 

* * *

 

Jurina jolted awake when she heard the doorbell ringing.

Forcing her eyes open, she laid still, wondering for a moment if she had heard correctly. The complete obscurity surrounding her taught her it was still not morning, and her tiredness was a clear indication she hadn’t slept that much. Tilting her head to the right, she extended her arm to grab the Smartphone laying on the bedside table, blinking when she noted it was barely past 11 p.m.

It wasn’t incredibly late, yet she didn’t remember expecting anyone else tonight. Mayu was staying at her girlfriend’s place and wasn’t supposed to be back until tomorrow afternoon. If she had made a last-minute change of plans or forgotten her keys, Mayu surely wouldn’t have failed to warn her. Just in case, Jurina checked her messages: she hadn’t received a single one from her best friend.

In fact, the sole company Jurina was expecting for the evening was currently lying naked in her bed. As Jurina stole a peek at Nana and observed the latter turning in her sleep, she got concerned the doorbell might have also woken her up. To her relief, the stripper’s eyelids remained tightly closed.

Jurina placed her phone back on the table and took a seat on the side of the bed, listening to her surroundings attentively. When not a sound could be heard anymore, she ended up thinking it might have been a mistake after all, until she perceived two distinct, soft knocks on the front door. No, she hadn’t imagined the whole thing: she indeed had a mysterious, unexpected visitor.

Jurina pushed herself to a standing position and slowly made her way to the closet to grab some clothes to put on. After opting for a simple pair of shorts and a tee-shirt, she hastily got dressed and headed towards the bedroom door. As she was about to open it, she briefly paused to glance over her shoulder in the direction of Nana’s sleeping form, until stepping out and carefully pulling the bedroom door behind her.

Switching the living room’s light on, Jurina groaned in protest, taking a moment to adjust to the unpleasant, bright light entering her eyes still bleary with sleep. Mechanically combing her messy shoulder-length black hair with her fingers, she approached the front door, once more wondering who could possibly be visiting. As her fingers settled on the handle and she was about to open, a small, hesitant voice sounded on the opposite side.

“Jurina, are you here?”

Jurina’s eyes shot open, suddenly wide awake.

As her heart began thumping erratically, her body stiffened, her hand remaining frozen on the door handle. This feminine voice: she could recognize it anywhere. But it was impossible; Jurina immediately tried to reason. Her imagination was, for some weird reason, still playing tricks on her mind after what had happened with Nana.

Yes, there was no other explanation possible.

“Jurina, if you’re here... Please open the door. I need to talk to you.”

 _No, it’s not possible._ Jurina shook her head in disbelief when she heard that voice again. _It can’t be… It can’t be her._

Jurina came back to her senses and turned the handle shakily, curiosity getting the best of her. When the door finally opened and her eyes fell upon the girl waiting in front of her apartment, she was left utterly speechless. In front of her very own eyes, was standing a familiar 26-year-old long, dark-haired girl. A stripper she had not seen in three, excruciatingly long weeks. “R–Rena?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t open,” Rena breathed a sigh of relief.

Jurina swallowed, nervously holding her breath, and still having a difficult time believing the improbable sight in front of her. “What are you… How did you find me?”

“Your friend Mayu came by the club to talk to me,” Rena explained, her whole face progressively spreading into a smile. “And I’m so glad she did.”

“Mayu did?!” Jurina said incredulously.

“I had no way of contacting you and you haven’t visited the club in three weeks. I feared… I feared I would never see you again.”

Jurina’s lips parted on a shocked breath. So many conflicted thoughts were currently juggling in her head; she was forced to clutch the side of the door to steady her unbalanced legs. First, Rena’s unexpected apparition: God, she had truly missed those adorable small brown orbs. Then, the astonishing revelation Mayu had gone to the club and talked to the stripper behind her back.

But most of all, the genuine, worried look Rena was now sending her.

If Jurina wasn’t fully awake right now, she would be convinced she was having the weirdest dream of her life.

“But the last time we saw each other, you…” Jurina’s voice grew thick with emotion, a suffocating sensation tightening her throat. “You rejected me. So I thought… I thought it was over between us.”

“Rejecting you? No, I would never…” Astonishment touched Rena’s face, until embarrassment darkened her features. “I’m so sorry if I hurt you that day. I didn’t know what to say or how to react. You left me completely stunned. I think I needed time to fully grasp what it meant; what it meant for both of us. The following week-end, I was going to explain you all this and tell you that it didn’t matter and I accepted you for who you are, but… you never came back.”

At those very last words, a wave of hope fluttered through Jurina’s chest. How many times had she dreamed of hearing those words? How many years had she waited for someone to fully accept her? However, her joy didn’t last, her cautious side soon taking the upper hand. What if she was only understanding what she had always wanted to hear? What if she was misinterpreting Rena’s intentions? 

Before jumping to conclusions and take the foolish risk of having her hopes dashed, she absolutely needed clarification. Her stomach knotted with anticipation. “What did you just say?”

“I want to be with you,” Rena’s tone was gentle yet assured when she took a step closer, not afraid anymore of invading Jurina’s personal space. “So, can you… Can you please forgive me for the pain I caused you?”

Jurina unconsciously shivered, whether from the confirmation she had just obtained or the pleasant touch of Rena’s fingers brushing her cheek tenderly, she wasn’t entirely sure. With their faces so close, Jurina could feel Rena’s soft breathing delicately tickling her skin, the urge to press her lips against Rena’s smooth lips and remember their taste harder to resist as the seconds went by.

But fate dictated otherwise.

“Jurina, is everything alright?”

Jurina stiffened when she heard a familiar, sleepy voice calling her from inside the apartment. By the way Rena instantly looked over her shoulder and her beautiful smile vanished, Jurina knew she had not simply heard the voice, but also clearly recognized its owner. “W–Wait,” Jurina stammered. “Let me explai–”

Jurina failed to react in time when Rena pushed the front door and moved past her, her eyes landing on the other girl who had appeared on the bedroom’s doorstep. “I refused to believe it, but it was true.” Rena’s dark eyes showed the tortured dullness of disbelief. “This evening at the club when I wasn’t here, you really slept with Nana, didn’t you?”

“It’s not–” Jurina felt as if her whole world had crumbled around her feet. “It’s really not what you think.”

“And it was not just a one-time thing,” Rena continued, her features contorting with pain and sorrow as the evidence was standing right in front of her eyes, in all its naked glory. “Even after that, you kept sleeping with her. Please tell me this is not happening. Please tell me it’s not true.”

“Rena, it’s not what you think,” Nana quickly intervened, stiffening when Rena glared back at her with burning, reproachful eyes.

Jurina tentatively tried to catch Rena’s arm and her attention with it, only to have the other girl abruptly yank her hand away and take a resolute step back towards the front door. Understanding Rena was planning on leaving, Jurina’s eyes widened in alarm and took a hurried step forward, desperately searching her mind for something – anything – that could possibly calm Rena down and force her to listen.

But Jurina knew it was already far too late when Rena turned one last time in her direction and she witnessed a new, dark emotion flashing in Rena’s eyes, one she had never seen before: anger. Despair swept through her, understanding how deeply she had managed to hurt the older girl with her actions. When Rena span on her heels and left the apartment, Jurina – filled with endless guilt, pain and sorrow – didn’t try to hold her back. 


	12. Chapter 12

This Saturday afternoon, when Mayu turned the key in the lock and stepped inside her apartment, she didn’t have to look for her roommate very long, finding Jurina studying and surrounded with architecture books in the living room. Mayu had barely left her keys in the hallway that Jurina glanced up in her direction, Mayu immediately caught off guard by the angry look the other girl was sending her.

“You seem in a bad mood,” Mayu frowned, removing her vest and noticing the dark circles under her best friend’s eyes. “And it looks like you didn’t sleep much last night. Did something happen?”

Jurina lowered on the table the document she was reading and, leaning back in the chair, crossed her arms over her chest. “You talked to Rena,” Jurina said, glaring at her. “Why did you do that?”

“How do you…” Mayu widened her eyes in astonishment, until they lit up in barely contained excitement. “She came here? To talk to you?!”

“Mayu! Answer my question!” Jurina exclaimed, incredulity surging within her. “Why on earth did you go to the club without telling me?!”

“How many times did I tell you to go and talk to her? It’s already been a month, and you’re still feeling miserable. You left me with no choice,” Mayu scoffed, slipping into a pair of slippers and entering the living room. “So why are you so upset? What happened? Didn’t you two make up?”

“What happened is that she came by the apartment yesterday evening and I wasn’t alone!” Jurina interjected, frustration washing over her.

“You weren’t alone? Wait. Don’t tell me you had invited Nana over?!” Mayu’s expression changed to consternation when she saw the embarrassment on Jurina’s face. “I thought you said you weren’t going to see Nana again? You really couldn’t keep it in your pants, could you!”

“I thought Rena had rejected me, remember?” Jurina retorted, a mixture of anger and hurt flashing through her eyes. “I was trying to get over her but it wasn’t working!”

Mayu remained silent for a little while, her stupor progressively giving way to understanding at the vision of her best friend’s disarray. “I know,” she murmured, acknowledging the difficult time her best friend had been going through lately. “So, I figure she saw you two together and it didn’t go so well?” Mayu winced, receiving a small nod in return as she approached the table. “Okay, I’m sorry to hear that. What are you going to do now?”

“There’s nothing else to do…” Jurina said, glancing back at her in despair. “You should have seen her. She was so mad at me. She will never want to see me again after that.”

“You can’t blame her for being upset,” Mayu admitted, pulling a chair and taking a seat by Jurina’s side. “But she made the effort to come and see you,” she added, trying to sound encouraging. “That tells a lot about her. I’m sure she will understand if you explain her the whole situation.”

“What is there to explain? She knows I’ve been sleeping with Nana,” Jurina stammered, feeling utterly helpless as the harsh reality hit her anew. “She will never… She will never forgive me for this.”

“I don’t agree,” Mayu answered, shaking her head in protest. “I haven’t spoken much with her at the club, but when I saw the instant relief spreading across her face when I gave her your address… I could tell you really meant something to her.”

Jurina smiled bitterly. “Well, obviously not anymore.”

“Do you have feelings for her?” Mayu asked, even though she already knew the answer. “Yes, you do. You really like that girl. And not only she likes you too, she also accepts you for who you are. That’s why you can’t give up yet. You need to give her a chance to hear you out. To fully understand who’s really Jurina Matsui.”

Jurina didn’t reply, yet for the first time in weeks Mayu saw a subtle, flash of hope in her best friend’s eyes. Mayu gave her a small, reassuring smile, wanting to believe that her words had reached her and Jurina would make the right decision. Of course, Mayu was conscious it wasn’t an easy task, not when Jurina had been living in the fear of rejection all her life. However, Mayu strongly wished her best friend would find the courage within her to go and confront Rena and open her heart to her.

If there was one certitude Mayu had anchored deep inside her after witnessing month after month the gradual, positive changes in her best friend’s behavior, it was that the long, dark haired beautiful and mesmerizing 26-year-old stripper named Rena had awakened something within her like no one else before. If Jurina made the mistake of letting pass this unique chance of happiness, Mayu feared she would forever live with regrets.

  

* * *

 

While finishing getting dressed in the dressing room for her upcoming strip show on the main stage, Nana couldn’t help stealing glances in Rena’s direction, watching thoughtfully the other stripper who was also getting prepared a few booths away. At this précised moment, they happened to be the only two girls occupying the place, and the silence enveloping them had never been so heavy.

Since Rena had discovered her presence at Jurina’s apartment, she had been giving her the cold shoulder, barely talking or even looking at her when they happened to have their shifts at the club together. She and Rena had never been especially close in the first place, yet their conversations had always been polite and cordial since Nana began working at the club. This last week, the extreme, palpable tension between them was beginning to make her feel ill-at-ease.

The more Nana reflected upon the tricky situation and Rena’s cold behavior towards her, the more she was convinced that the other girl had a complete misconception regarding the true nature of her relationship with Jurina. Most obviously, Jurina had not cleared that up with Rena yet. And the fact that the younger girl had not a single time visited the club since that evening was another clear indication that she and Rena equally remained on bad terms.

Nana was never one to meddle in people’s personal affairs - even less a client - but she couldn’t in good conscience let Rena have a false idea about her intentions. As she took a seat in front the mirror to brush her hair, Nana pondered over her options, before glancing sideways in Rena’s direction. Not only she didn’t like being on bad terms with a co-worker, she also felt a little responsible for the incident at the apartment.

If she had been a little more attentive and not disregarded Rena’s previous protective behavior towards Jurina as simple territorial defense, then this whole, terrible misunderstanding could have easily been avoided.

The fact that Rena had warned her that Jurina was one of her regulars, and implicitly asked her to keep her distance with her. The expression of admiration in Jurina’s eyes when she had watched with undivided attention Rena dancing on stage. And last but not the least, the sorrow Nana had perceived in Jurina’s voice when she had confessed to her that Rena rejected her difference.

From the start, all the signs had been here, but she had failed miserably to notice what was happening right under her nose.

In the light of the recent developments, it was more than evident that Rena didn’t consider Jurina as a mere client as she falsely believed at first. Her attachment to Jurina was genuine, and the feeling was more than mutual. That’s why Nana couldn’t stand the idea that those two people who clearly had feelings for each other had been drawn apart because of an absurd misunderstanding.

“Rena, do you have a moment?” Nana, her decision made, turned around to face the other girl. “I really need to talk to you.”

“I don’t have time,” Rena answered straight away, looking through the mirror while she applied mascara, before switching to the eyeliner. “I have a private session with a client in ten minutes.”

“I know you think I’m trying to steal Jurina away from you,” Nana continued, not letting herself get deterred by Rena’s harsh tone. “But it’s not true.”

“Aren’t you?” Rena’s question held a note of sarcasm. “You flirted with her at the club. You went to her apartment. And you clearly slept with her more than once. How do you justify all this?”

“Didn’t Jurina tell you that we already knew each other from before?” Nana asked, now seriously wondering if the other stripper was not missing a big piece of information. By the way Rena abruptly paused what she was doing, she could tell her words had managed to destabilize her. “I’m not sure what Jurina exactly told you, but she can sometimes feel incredibly lonely. I was only trying to give her the affection that she lacked. If I had known sooner that you two were so close, I would never-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rena cut her off, putting the eyeliner away and applying some makeup on her face. “And I don’t care what you two do together anymore. It’s clear to me that Jurina has already made up her mind. If she wants to be with you, then go on. I won’t stand in your way.”

“She doesn’t,” Nana argued, taken aback by the other girl’s apparent blindness. “I’ve always been just a temporary substitute, someone to fill the void inside her and satiate her physical needs and cravings. What she’s looking for is not someone like me, but a person who can accept her and love her for who she is. And I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that person could very likely be you.”

“Why couldn’t it be you?” Rena challenged, diverting her attention from the mirror to look Nana in the eye for the first time. “Are you going to tell me that you don’t have feelings for her?”

“Jurina is a kind person that I appreciate and respect,” Nana answered with the utmost sincerity. “I never minded her difference. On the contrary, I think it makes her quite exceptional and unique. But the nature of my relationship with her has always been very clear. Jurina is just a client, nothing more.”

Nana waited in expectation for a reaction, but all she saw was the other stripper turning her back on her and finishing preparing herself in silence. Nana searched her mind for something to add, a way to put a definitive end to Rena’s remaining doubts. Yet, as she observed Rena checking her clothes and makeup one last time before standing up, Nana realized she was unfortunately running short of arguments.

As Rena moved past her in the direction of the exit without a word, Nana noticed the briefest flicker of hesitation through the other girl’s apparent calm and collected expression. At once, a glimmer of hope fluttered through her. More than anything, Nana truly wanted to believe that this short yet important conversation between them had not been in vain and would soon have a positive outcome.

 

* * *

 

Rena tried to ignore the doubts filling her as she stepped out of the dressing room, absolutely refusing to fall for Nana’s evident, shameful lies. She had no idea what kind of twisted game the other stripper was playing at, but Nana was clearly naive if she believed her words would make her forget her presence at Jurina’s apartment a week ago. Did Nana seriously believe she could manipulate her so easily?

Rena desperately tried to keep her rising anger under control, knowing she couldn’t afford to be distracted now of all times. Recollecting herself, she cleared her head and climbed the staircase leading to the private rooms upstairs, well decided to put behind her that quite unpleasant conversation with the other stripper to focus on her work.

Fifteen minutes ago, Rena had barely left the main stage after her strip show that a waitress had addressed her, warning her that a client requested a private session with her. As Rena finally arrived in front of the indicated private room n°4, her perfect mask of confidence and seduction slipped back in place, and she didn’t hesitate to push the door and enter the private room.

When Rena closed the door behind her and discovered the identity of her client, her smile vanished at once. “J-Jurina…” she stared at the other feminine presence in the room, frozen with shock. “What are you doing here?”

“Rena, I’m so happy to see you,” Jurina smiled a little awkwardly yet with affection, reducing the distance between them. “I really… I really need to talk to you.”

While Rena was having a hard time processing what was happening, her last encounter with Nana and the words she had uttered replayed in her mind. Taking a step backwards, her expression darkened. “This was a set-up,” Rena gritted her teeth in displeasure, as realization dawned on her. “Nana knew you were coming tonight, right? That’s why she told me all those things?”

“What?” Jurina stopped her advance and blinked at her in confusion. “I haven’t seen or spoken to Nana since last time.”

“Really?” Rena arched an eyebrow, skeptical. “And you expect me to trust you after what happened? After I discovered that you slept with her?!”

Jurina tensed. “Let me… Let me explain.”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Rena shook her head, blindly reaching out for the door handle behind her. “I’m afraid you came all this way for nothing. Goodbye, Jurina.”

Jurina launched forward and Rena gasped as her back was pressed against the door, Jurina blocking any form of retreat by quickly shutting the door close behind her. “No, I need you to listen to me,” Jurina didn’t bulge, keeping her hands firmly in place on the door. “I know you’re mad at me and you think I betrayed you, but it’s not true.”

“Let me go,” Rena held Jurina’s gaze in determination. When Jurina drew closer to her face, she hastily turned her head the other side. “Don’t… Don’t touch me.”

Rena regretted the harshness of her tone when she saw raw hurt glittering in Jurina’s eyes. “Rena, I-”

“I thought we had something going on, that you wanted our relationship to evolve into something more,” Rena interrupted, now destabilized by her own conflicted thoughts and emotions. “But as soon as I had my back turned, you slept with Nana. How am I supposed to interpret it? How am I supposed to believe anything that comes from your mouth after that? After what I saw?”

“You’re right,” Jurina stammered, leaning back and retracting herself from the door. “It was a mistake, and not one day passes by without me regretting it.”

“Then why did you do it!?” Rena exclaimed, helplessly trying to make sense of a situation that escaped her comprehension. “Was I just a game for you? A distraction from your studies? Someone to have fun with for a little while?”

“How can you even think that?” Jurina widened her eyes, disbelief, then pain crossing her features. “I’ve been attracted to you from the first time I laid eyes on you, but it’s never been just physical. I love spending time with you and being by your side. My interest in you has always been sincere. You need to believe me.”

“Then why?” Rena’s voice cracked, holding back tears of both pain and frustration. “Why would you hurt me like this?”

“I never meant to hurt you…” Jurina’s fingers trembled as she gently cupped Rena’s face with her hand. “I was convinced it wouldn’t last. I thought you wouldn’t accept me,” she added, not bothering anymore to hide the deep insecurity inhabiting her. “I was terrified that once you would know the whole truth about myself, you wouldn’t want to see me again. I had already met Nana before, and she didn’t care about what I was. When I was with her, I didn’t have to think or worry about anything. It was easy. _She_ was easy.”

Rena felt her heart tighten beneath her ribs, now grasping that everything Nana had told her in the dressing room was entirely true. “I know I didn’t react the way I should when you told me the truth that evening, but you should have had more faith in me. I just needed a little more time to process it,” Rena lamented in despair, silent tears glistening on her face. “All I wanted was to be with you.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Jurina’s eyes filled with tears of regret. “Please forgive me,” she put her arms around Rena and held her close. “Please tell me it’s not too late.”

When Jurina buried her face in her neck and breathed a kiss there, Rena didn’t oppose any resistance, clinging to the younger girl even harder when she came to a sudden realization. All this time, she had been so focused on her own pain and feeling of betrayal, that she had completely failed to analyze the circumstances from Jurina’s own, personal and very special situation.

When Jurina raised her lips to find hers, Rena succumbed, her heart shattering a little as she felt the despair mingled with desire in Jurina’s demanding, urgent kiss. “I accept you,” Rena murmured, as she returned the kiss with equal longing. “But if we’re going to do this, then I want you to make a promise.”

“Anything,” Jurina assured. She extricated herself from her arms slowly, enough to properly face Rena and bring her full attention gently back to her. “Tell me. Tell me what you want. I”ll do anything.”

Rena took a deep breath and looked at Jurina seriously. “Promise me you will never sleep with Nana again.”

“You’re the only one I ever wanted,” Jurina’s lips brushed against hers in a light, tender kiss as she spoke. “If I finally have you, then I don’t want anyone else.”

At the heart rending tenderness of Jurina’s gaze, warmth spread through Rena’s chest and it was all the confirmation she needed to reclaim Jurina’s lips with a kiss full of passion, need and forgiveness. As Jurina parted her lips, Rena put her arms around Jurina’s neck and possessed her mouth greedily, deciding it was time to take a leap of faith and entrust Jurina with her heart.


	13. Chapter 13

This Saturday evening, when Jurina had stepped inside The Blue Moon, it was in desperate need to try and explain herself and seek forgiveness from Rena. These last couple of months, there was no denying that the 26-year-old long, dark-haired stripper had entered her life in the most unexpected way, provoking strong, new feelings. Yes, Rena was stunningly beautiful and had a magnetic personality doubled with a powerful aura impossible to ignore, but what Jurina felt for her wasn’t solely reduced to simple physical attraction as she initially wanted to believe.

Her desire to be around the stripper recently recruited by the club wasn’t either motivated by the wish to fulfill her basic, raw physical needs with someone else. She had already gone through the later with Akane for half a year, then reiterated the experience when Nana had entered her life once more. Even though it had in both cases procured her great pleasure and - for a little while - a certain feeling of self-esteem that she lacked without contest, Jurina was everything but naïve.

Deep down, she was conscious that it would never be enough.

The bond she had formed with Rena so quickly and naturally. The genuine caring and attachment she felt for her, even to the point of unleashing an unsuspected, protective side. The happiness mingled with unrestrained impatience that blossomed within her each time her eyes landed with affection on the other girl across the room and she was granted with the possibility to spend a few – admittedly always too short - hours with her.

As days transformed into weeks, then months and Jurina couldn’t resist the urge to pass that front door every weekend, she was forced to realize that, maybe, she had finally found in Rena’s presence what she had searched for during all these years of misery and solitude. Unfortunately, her profound insecurity, that had inhabited her since her early childhood and followed her ever since had blinded her and led to terrible repercussions, fragilizing and hurting her relationship with Rena in the most devastating way.

When Jurina faced Rena again at the club after two weeks of separation, she feared her words of apology wouldn’t be welcomed. In fact, she expected nothing less but the other girl to refuse to listen and turn her back on her, before wiping her out of her existence once and for all. Jurina had mentally prepared herself for such an outcome: she was also fully aware that a firm rejection from the other girl would only crush her heart and destroy her last hopes of reconciliation.

Despite it, her latest serious conversation with her roommate had been greatly revealing, making her realize that Mayu was indeed right and she couldn’t afford to give up on Rena without a fight. Because, surprisingly, Rena had accomplished what no other girl had done before her: she had turned her life completely upside down.

Not a single night passed without Jurina’s dreams filled with thoughts of her. Not a week went by without her looking forward to their anticipated next encounter at The Blue Moon. During the course of those few months, Rena had come to mean so much to her: much more than she would have ever expected. And Jurina didn’t know what would become of her if she ended up losing her for good because of her foolish mistakes.  

_I accept you._

It had taken a full, long minute for Jurina to process that she had finally received what she had truly longed for: Rena’s wholehearted forgiveness. The electrifying sensation of Rena’s lips moving against her with a passion she hadn’t felt in weeks fueled Jurina with renewed hope and confidence. As a feeling of elation and relief coursed through her, she refused to let go of Rena now that she had her back in her arms, trapping her once more against the door of the VIP room.

“I don’t want anyone else but you,” Jurina reaffirmed between kisses, hearing a small whimper leaving Rena’s mouth as she captured, devoured and savored every inch of the stripper’s soft lips.

Jurina slipped her arms around Rena’s waist and embraced her tightly, feeling all her accumulated tension evaporating in an instant. Rejoicing their regained closeness and intoxicated by the mutual - almost overwhelming - fervor of their exchanged kisses, Jurina’s fingers grew impatient and refused to stay immobile any longer. While her right arm stayed secured around Rena’s waist, her left hand moved north, easily finding an opening and sliding underneath the back of Rena’s red blouse.

As soon as her fingers came in contact with the softness of Rena’s skin, Jurina felt a sparkle of desire igniting inside her. Jurina caressed and explored every inch at her disposal, venturing each time closer towards the clasp of Rena’s lace bra. Jurina showered kisses around Rena’s lips and along her jaw but soon had a burning desire, an aching need, for another kiss. Rena’s lips met hers halfway, recapturing hers.

The touch of Rena’s demanding lips sent a shockwave through her entire body, Jurina’s calm far long shattered with the hunger of her partner’s kisses. Freed from her last feeling of guilt and with no more secret separating them, it was an arduous task not to wish for more and to reclaim that body she had once possessed. That unique yet memorable night they had abandoned themselves into each other’s arms and succumbed to their desires, prey to a passion they hadn’t been able to control any further.

Yet, at the last minute, Jurina had held herself back, her fear of rejection forbidding her to cross a certain line with the older girl.

As the memory of that evening flowed her mind, Jurina fluttered her eyes open and detached her lips from Rena’s, gazing back at her somewhat uncertainly. While she tried to slow down her beating heart and regain a semblance of composure, a flicker of insecurity swept through her. Yes, Rena said she accepted her, but was she truly conscious of the implications? Of what it meant to be with someone physically different like her?

“Jurina?” Jurina jolted out of her thoughts at the sound of Rena’s small, hesitant voice, witnessing the other girl’s slightly worried expression. “What is it?” Rena’s fingers tenderly traced the line of her cheekbone. 

“Maybe… Maybe we shouldn’t get carried away,” Jurina replied, dissimulating her unease behind a tentative smile. “Time is almost up,” she added, taking a step back. “And you still haven’t finished your shift tonight.”

“You’re right,” Rena sighed, leaning against the door. “But I don’t want you to leave.” Her hands moved with desperate speed, seizing the hem of Jurina’s jacket. “Will you stay? Will you wait for the end of my shift? We could go out for a drink. What do you think?”

At the hope lightening up Rena’s enchanting small brown eyes, Jurina couldn’t resist invading her personal space once more. “Where do you want to go?” she kissed her gently on the lips. “The Furukawa Lounge Bar? Or do you want to go somewhere else?”

“I don’t really mind…” Rena replied, running her fingers through Jurina’s hair. “I just want to spend time with you. So, promise me you will stay?”

“I will,” Jurina murmured, reaching up for a final kiss.

Rena clung to her, wanting the kiss to go on. “I have one last request,” she whispered, lips against hers. “When we go back to the main room, I want you to choose a table near the front stage.”

Jurina frowned in confusion, slightly taken aback by the unusual request. “Near the front stage? Why?”

“Just do it, alright?” Jurina noticed a mischievous gleam in her eyes, shivering lightly when the stripper slowly and sensuously brushed her thumb across Jurina’s lips. “I want to make sure you fully enjoy the show.”

 

* * *

 

1:20 a.m.

Jurina watched distractedly the two strippers, Nao and Madoka, dancing together in rhythm with the loud, upbeat Japanese music, admitting to herself that it felt a little odd to be back at the club after a full month without visiting it. After Rena had discovered her physical difference - and believing to have been rejected - she was well decided never to set foot at The Blue Moon again. Yet here she was, to top it all occupying a table so close to the main stage that she couldn’t possibly miss out a single detail of the performances unfolding in front of her.

Jurina took a sip from her second beer and averted her gaze from Madoka who was now undressing and making lascivious poses in front of an attentive and enthusiastic male audience, soon sweeping around the room in curiosity. Once again, Jurina found herself impressed by how crowded the club proved to be on this Saturday evening. One thing was for sure: the popularity of The Blue Moon showed no sign of decreasing, even attracting new clients every weekend.

Jurina immediately drew her attention back to the Smartphone laying on the table when she saw the screen flashing, taking in that she had received a text from Mayu. _“It looks like you’re planning on spending the whole evening at the club. Finally, you two made up. You can thank me later. I’m staying at Yuki’s, so don’t worry about making too much noise when you come home. The apartment is all yours. Make good use of it!”_

“How did she…” Jurina widened her eyes in stupefaction at her friend’s perspicacity, before shaking her head in amusement at her very last words. Mayu might tend to speak her mind without filter, no one understood what she was going through better than her. Every day that went by, Jurina considered herself extremely lucky and grateful to have such a trusted and supportive friend by her side.

For a little while, Jurina played with her phone until she went through her contacts, soon pausing on the new phone number she had recently added.

_+81-9092270711_

_Rena_

A smile fell upon Jurina’s lips in at the remembrance of that significant moment when she and Rena had at last exchanged phone numbers an hour ago. As she reflected upon everything that had been shared between them in the private room – demonstrations of affection but most of all, words of forgiveness and acceptance - Jurina was conscious her relationship with Rena had reached a new level.

And she was impatient to discover what the future had in store for them.

Jurina looked up from the screen when she felt a light touch on her shoulder, caught off guard when she saw another – yet very familiar – long, dark-haired stripper standing by her table. “Nana,” Jurina whispered in astonishment, leaving her phone aside to focus on the new unexpected presence.

Truthfully, during the course of the evening, their gazes had occasionally met across the room but the other stripper had strangely always kept her distance, never approaching her once. Jurina stole a quick, preoccupied look in the direction of the dressing room, somewhat relieved that Rena was currently absent from the main room as she was getting prepared for her upcoming and last show for the evening.

“Don’t worry, I won’t stay long,” Nana rested her hand for a moment on her shoulder, caressing it gently, before slowly withdrawing her fingers. “I just came by to say hi and see if you were having a good evening.”

Although it was quite brief, Jurina noticed Nana following her gaze on the closed dressing room’s door. On further reflection, Jurina now seriously wondered if this meeting with Nana was everything but a coincidence after all and the stripper hadn’t in fact waited deliberately until now an opening to engage a conversation with her. “I am,” Jurina answered, thankful for Nana’s delicate attention. “I really am.”

“Did you manage to obtain what you desired?” Nana asked.

Jurina processed Nana’s enigmatic words, detecting the small apprehension behind them, until realization dawned on her when she remembered her previous exchange with Rena. Back then, she hadn’t paid much attention to it when Rena had mentioned it, but now it occurred to her that she was visibly missing a piece of the puzzle. “You talked to Rena, didn’t you? What did you tell her?”

Nana’s mouth tugged into a slow, knowing smile. “I told her the truth; that she had nothing to fear from me. I just hope that my words managed to reach her. Did they?”

Jurina nodded almost imperceptibly, touched that the older girl had gone to such length as to interfere in her favor. “I’m not sure why you did it but, I wanted to thank you for never treating me differently all this time.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Nana protested lightly, relief crossing her features. “Do you remember what I told you the first time we met?”

“I don’t,” Jurina shook her head no.

“I told you that you shouldn’t be so afraid of who you are,” Nana said, dropping a light, gentle kiss on Jurina’s cheek. “And now, I can tell you finally found that happiness you always sought.”

Jurina could sense by the solemnity of Nana’s words that the other girl wasn’t naïve, and she knew that their little arrangement had come to a definite end. Jurina reflected upon something to reply, and hastily caught Nana’s wrist as she was about to take a step back. “I don’t regret what we did,” she let out at last, regarding her seriously, hoping the other girl wouldn’t doubt the sincerity of her words. “Thank you for never rejecting me.”

Nana nodded and smiled, and Jurina watched her as she turned on her heels and left, vanishing from her sight and from her life.

 

* * *

 

_Hittin' me up late always be blowin' up my phone_

_I'm lying awake wonderin' why I'm still alone_

_Lord knows I am sinning, please forgive me for my lust_

_Sending pictures back and forth_

_Babe, I'm craving your touch_

Jurina swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around her beer as the daring lyrics of the American song played in the air. Now, she was having a good feeling why Rena had asked her to come and sit near the stage. As soon as the lights went out and the speaker had announced the arrival of the next stripper, a boldly confident Gekikara had made her appearance clad in a long sleeve nylon fishnet and a black mini-skirt, her see through top revealing a black, lace bra accentuating the natural curves of her breasts. 

_You're my new obsession_

_Let go of any hesitation_

_Baby, be my new addiction_

_Intoxicate me gently with your loving_

From the moment Rena had begun swaying her hips in rhythm with the sensual music, she hadn’t ceased sending suggestive, lingering looks in Jurina’s direction, easily giving away her sneaky intentions. As the seconds went by and it became harder for Jurina to maintain her composure, she could tell tonight’s performance was going to be nothing like what the stripper usually delivered. By Rena’s repetitive and frequent lascivious poses towards her side of the stage, it didn’t take her long to figure out that the stripper was determined to tease and provoke her to no end.

_I want to make sure you fully enjoy the show._

The following minutes were going to feel painfully long if the stripper didn’t tone down her little act, Jurina grasped as she recalled Rena’s previous words and couldn’t find the strength within her to detach her eyes from her beautifully attractive tormentor. Tonight, the proximity with the stage coupled with the special, personal attention Rena was giving her were making it hard for Jurina to control her longing, the erotic dance awakening and increasing by every heartbeat her excitement.

_You got me so high_

_Pull me closer into you and watch our bodies intertwine_

_I feel so alive_

_You know what I'm thinking of_

_Got me dreamin' 'bout that sexy dirty love_

Jurina’s pulse quickened as she watched the person responsible for her current agitation approaching her side once more, surprised and destabilized when Rena drew even closer and came to kneel by the edge of the stage. Jurina didn’t have time to understand what was happening that the other girl had extended her arm in her direction and caught her hand without warning, confidently guiding Jurina’s hand towards the zipper of her skirt.

Jurina’s heart beat with the pulse of the music and stared up into the eyes so close to hers, reading the silent invitation behind them. It wasn’t rare for strippers to tease the clients closest to the stage and involve them in an aspect of the choreography, such as helping them remove a piece of clothing or allowing them a fleeting caress of their naked body. But it certainly wasn’t part of Gekikara’s little routine. All the regular customers witnessing the current scene and following their interaction were perfectly aware of the difference of treatment Jurina was subjected to.

“What are you waiting for?” Rena asked, not hesitating to lean forward when Jurina’s fingers stayed motionless on her skirt, refusing to comply. “Don’t tell me you’re now afraid of touching me.”

The tone was teasing, even shamelessly flirtatious.

Rena’s hand wrapped around the dark fabric of her sleeve and Jurina shivered despite herself, relishing the contact when Rena’s fingers progressed upwards, stroking her arm slowly and sensuously. Rena’s touch numbed her senses, effortlessly shutting down Jurina’s internal voice warning her that the stripper was crossing a line by showing preference towards a client in front of an audience.

Jurina’s gaze dropped from Rena’s eyes to her breasts, drinking in the sensuality of her physique, before traveling down to that short skirt that proved to be in the way. Rena’s provocative, almost insolent, gaze was enough to weaken her resolve and Jurina didn’t waste any more time to seize the zipper and pull it down, slowly enough to give her proper time to savor the moment to its fullest, gliding her hands on Rena’s hips and caressing her thighs as she assisted her in removing the piece of clothing.

“Thank you...” The sweet touch of Rena’s lips on her cheek as she reached forward to kiss her set her aflame, Jurina not missing the promise for more in the smoldering depth of Rena’s eyes as the stripper stared back at her with naked longing.

The visual exchange was eventually broken when Rena abruptly drew away from her side of the stage and returned to the center to dance. While watching as the stripper finished delivering her sexiest performance of all times, Jurina, heart hammering against her ribs, attempted to quench her parched mouth with a deep swallow of her beer, more than ever conscious that no one else but Rena was capable of bringing out her emotions with such intensity.

 

* * *

 

2:02 a.m.

Only a couple of minutes had passed since Jurina had left the strip club in Rena’s company when she felt small droplets of water hitting her face, instantly wetting her jet-black shoulder-length hair and blue jacket. Jurina barely had time to assess the new situation that Rena abruptly grabbed her hand, quickening the pace. Jurina didn’t hesitate to follow her as the stripper guided them in the streets of Tokyo, vainly attempting to dodge the rain as it increased in intensity by every second.

When Rena spotted a closed café in a nearby alley, she turned and engaged in it, both hurriedly taking shelter underneath the small storefront. Jurina glanced up to the dark, rainy sky of Tokyo, feeling slightly dejected by the sudden downpour. When she had left her apartment three hours ago, the weather forecast predicted nothing else but a beautiful, rainless night, and she now feared this unforeseen turn of events to have ruined her evening plans with the other girl.

Jurina took a tentative peek at the girl standing quietly by her side, taking in how her appearance had been greatly affected by the heavy rain. Her previously neatly brushed, shiny long, dark hair were damp, sticking against her face and neck, while her red blouse was almost entirely soaked, the black, lacy bra she was wearing easily showing through the light fabric of her top.

Jurina’s attention lingered despite herself to the wet clothes that clung to Rena’s body, outlining the slim curves of her chest, defining the roundness of her breasts. Despite the circumstances, Jurina couldn’t help but find the stripper feverishly attractive. When she finally tore her eyes away from the appealing view, she realized by Rena’s subtle, amused look that she had been caught staring.

Jurina held Rena’s gaze, heart pounding, trying to anticipate her next move. She watched as the other girl’s eyes searched her face, studying her carefully, as if trying to reach into her thoughts. Eventually, Rena was the first to reduce the distance between them, Jurina soon finding her mouth smothered by Rena’s warm lips. Jurina wrapped her arms around Rena’s waist, bringing her closer. Rena’s kiss left her mouth burning with fire and she didn’t hesitate to part her lips, allowing Rena’s tongue to move into her with urgent passion.

Rena’s moist, firm mouth demanded a response and Jurina returned the kiss with reckless abandon, moving her mouth overs hers, devouring its softness. Jurina stumbled back under the force of their wild kisses, her back grazing the window shop as Rena leaned into her and pressed her body further against hers.

Jurina’s thoughts fragmented when Rena’s hands wound around her jacket, finding a path underneath her wet shirt, her flesh tingling as possessive fingers explored the surface of her back. Jurina detached her lips from hers and traveled down her throat, searing a path down the creamy expense of Rena’s neck, before stopping dead when she felt the alarming, knowing bulge pushing against her pants.

“W-Wait…” Jurina gently pushed her away, disengaging herself from Rena’s embrace.

“Why? What’s wrong?” Rena met her eye questioningly for a moment before her lips slowly descended to brush hers, reclaiming them into a gentle, drugging kiss.

Jurina felt herself shiver, greatly tempted by the tantalizing invitation for more as every inch of her being craved for Rena’s touch. Rena’s fingers had now unbuttoned her jacket and were caressing her chest, before venturing down and playing around her inner thighs. When Jurina felt a pair of fingers landing on her crotch, she stiffened. The kiss was broken; their eyes locked at once.

Jurina could tell by Rena’s surprised look that the gesture had been accidental; the next moment, she slowly removed her hand from her sex. Jurina swallowed hard, gauging Rena’s reaction, knowing the other girl was now fully aware of what the partial darkness had successfully hidden until now: her growing arousal. Jurina watched her somewhat apprehensively, the memory of that day when the stripper had touched her at the same place, discovering for the first time her physical difference, still vividly imprinted in her mind.

Rena’s eyes traveled down; her fingertips approached Jurina’s pants, touching the showing bulge slowly and tentatively. Jurina noticed that Rena’s expression had considerably softened, a small, secret smile playing on her lips when she drew her hand away and raised her gaze to meet hers. “It’s alright, don’t be afraid.” Rena cupped her chin, placing a tender, lingering kiss on her cheek. “I said I accepted you, didn’t I? So, what should we do now?”

Jurina released a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding; she felt her own tension dissipate as she slowly returned the smile. Jurina pushed tendrils of hair back from Rena’s damp forehead, carefully replacing and adjusting to the side Rena’s fringe that had been messed up by the rain. “Do you want to go to The Furukawa Lounge Bar?”

“I don’t really feel like going out anymore,” Rena replied, before adding tentatively. “But we could go to my place, I live a few streets away from here. What do you think?”

Jurina held her breath and briefly looked around them, noticing that the rain had by now slightly decreased in intensity, before she slowly returned her attention to Rena, seeing nothing else but the sweet temptation in her invitation. Jurina nodded, not trusting herself to speak, watching as a smile of pleasure played at the corner of Rena’s mouth as the stripper laced their fingers together and pulled her along behind her.

 

* * *

Jurina was conscious that it was the first time she was standing in Rena’s apartment yet she barely took a moment to look around the place, far too distracted by the presence of the girl preceding her and leading her inside. Jurina’s eyes bored intensely into the curves of Rena’s slender back as the other girl let go of her hand - briefly listening as she informed her she would be back in a minute and to make herself comfortable in the meantime – before watching her walking away and disappearing in a room.

Despite hearing the invitation well, Jurina couldn’t stay idle and she followed Rena’s steps until she stopped in front of the room she had previously entered, her heart skipping a beat as she observed through the bathroom’s partially opened door while the stripper removed her wet blouse and approached the sink, grabbing a fresh towel within reach, slowly drying her skin and her wet hair.

Jurina didn’t know how long she stood there, staring, admiring at length the flawless body of the creature that had stolen her soul and her heart so many months ago, but her presence soon didn’t go unnoticed when their eyes suddenly met across the mirror. Now discovered, Jurina couldn’t bear the separation any longer and decisively stepped inside the bathroom, reducing the distance between them and encircling Rena’s waist from behind.

“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” she whispered inside her ear, before bending her head and nuzzling her nose against the crook of Rena’s neck, inhaling the sweet scent of Rena’s perfume.

Jurina felt the body against hers quivering in response and she tightened her hold around Rena’s body in a possessive gesture, before placing a trail of lingering kisses along Rena’s jaw and removing a few strands of hair from her skin, kissing her way down the nape of her neck. Jurina distinguished the muffled sound of a towel dropping on the floor and she fluttered her eyes open, feeling her stomach tighten in anticipation when Rena turned around in her arms and looked at her with eyes that made her shiver with desire.

Their lips met in a hurried, hungry kiss and Jurina backed the stripper against the sink, mapping every inch of her chest with her hands, outlining the shape of her breasts, caressing their softness through the fabric of her bra. Jurina didn’t oppose any resistance when Rena grabbed her jacket and removed it with hasty fingers, listening as it fell loudly by her feet, before the older girl took a firm hold of her shirt and pulled it over her head, their lips briefly parting in the process before quickly reconnecting in a languid, exploratory kiss as soon as it followed the same path on the floor along with her bra.

Jurina stumbled a few steps backwards when the stripper suddenly placed her hands flat on her abdomen and pushed her back, out of the bathroom, heat coursing through her veins when Jurina read the burning desire dancing in Rena’s eyes. Jurina barely had time to react that the stripper’s lips had assaulted hers again, her mouth massaging hers with provocative insistence as she kept pushing her back and back, only realizing where Rena was leading her when the back of her legs hit the edge of a bed.

Jurina heard the faint, distinct click of a bra being unclasped and she shot her eyes open, watching intently as the stripper removed the straps from her shoulders and let them fall, before tossing aside the piece of lingerie. A bright flare of desire sprang in Jurina’s eyes as she stared at Rena’s exposed chest and took time in appreciating her beauty, the beautiful mounds that waited for her attention.

Jurina stilled, regarding her somewhat uncertainly while the stripper took a step back and went to lie down on the bed. Every inch of her ached with need, craved to touch that erotic, perfectly sculpted body that she had once possessed. However, a part of her feared she wouldn’t be able to stop herself this time if she let herself get consumed by her lust, already feeling her excitement increasing by every minute, the knowing bulge pushing against her pants and asking nothing more but to be attended.

Jurina swallowed a nervous lump when she saw the other girl straightening up in bed and slowly approaching her side, taking a seat by the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong?” she looked up to her in a mixture of confusion and concern. “Talk to me.”

Jurina knew she had no other choice but to be completely honest. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself once I start.”

A sudden, knowing look passed over the stripper’s features. “Who said I wanted you to stop?” Rena reached out for her fingers, giving them a reassuring, light squeeze. “When I said I wanted to be with you, I really meant it.”

“Rena…” Jurina hesitated. “What I meant is-”

“I know what you mean,” Rena murmured, gently placing a hand behind Jurina’s neck, pulling her mouth down onto hers. “And I want this.” Rena’s lips brushed against hers in a tender, light kiss as she spoke. “I want this as much as you do.” She reached behind her jeans and retrieved the foil package from her back pocket.

Jurina studied her in search of any sign of unease or apprehension while Rena gently slipped it into her hand, but all she saw reflected in Rena’s eyes were genuine honesty and affection. When Rena took her hands and placed them onto her breasts, encouraging them to explore, Jurina surrendered as they shared a new kiss full of passion and need, before feeling Rena’s fingers deftly unbuckling her belt and pushing her pants down, leaving her in nothing else but her boxers.

When the older girl crawled backwards onto the bed invitingly, Jurina leaned down and slowly took off Rena’s pants, discovering the sexy, black panties she was wearing, before moving onto the bed, now more than eager to worship Rena’s desirable, nude body. Jurina climbed on top of her and her gaze traveled over Rena’s face, searching her eyes, tenderly melting into hers. When Rena tangled her fingers in her hair and gently pushed her down, Jurina’s lips came coaxingly down on hers, her mouth moving over hers in a sensuous exploration.

Jurina kissed her, lingering, savoring every moment, before her mouth left hers, her lips flickering over Rena’s skin with hot desire as she traveled down her throat, tracing a path towards her breasts. Her lips continued to explore her soft ivory flesh before her mouth closed over the flower of Rena’s breast, while her hand gently outlined the circle of her other mound, feeling it up and massaging it.

The fingers buried in her hair grew more pressing, urging her to continue with her ministrations, which Jurina was more than happy to oblige. She teased Rena’s nipple with just the tip of her tongue, before her tongue explored and tasted the rosy peak of Rena’s breasts. She gently nipped her with her teeth before suckling harder, reveling in her moans of pleasure, her pleas for more.

Jurina detached her lips when Rena’s nipples firmed under her touch and she gazed back at her work appreciatively, noticing the fine sheer of perspiration that now covered Rena’s throat and breasts, before crushing their lips together, swallowing another moan. Her hand slid down Rena’s abdomen then her hip, taking her sweet time in caressing each inch of her skin, before her fingers ventured lower to her midsection.

Jurina broke the kiss but never took her eyes off the girl beneath her while she slowly explored the area between Rena’s legs, caressing through the soft fabric of her black panties. She watched with pride as Rena’s pupils dilated with unmistakable lust, feeling the progressive moisture against her fingertips as she stimulated with gentle strokes and light pressures the erogenous region.

“S-Stop teasing me.”

A small, amused smile fell upon Jurina’s lips and she knew she had played long enough with her patience. Descending her lover’s agitated body that begged for more of her touch, she marveled at the view of the sexy piece of lingerie covering Rena’s private parts before carefully sliding it down her hips then her thighs, removing it completely. When she moved back on top of her, a tremor of desire rippled through her when she saw Rena running her tongue over her lips in anticipation.

Jurina’s lips covered hers hungrily, lost again in the intoxicating sensation of Rena’s warm and smooth lips brushing against hers, before traveling her hand south and leading her fingers into the folds of flesh that hid the center of Rena’s womanhood. Jurina gently explored then dipped her middle finger into her, Rena letting out a soft, feminine moan at the intrusion, soon pushing her finger deeper inside her.

Jurina slid into her slowly and methodically, twisting and curving, stroking her inner walls, brushing against her most sensitive spot. Jurina added her thumb to the mix and rubbed softly against her clit, feeling Rena’s sensitive, tight walls relaxing, moistening deliciously around her finger, Rena’s breathing growing more erratic as she moved her finger faster and deeper inside her.

As Jurina felt her partner’s pleasure intensifying by every new stroke, she could feel her own arousal increasing dangerously. She bit down on her lower lip to stifle a groan, feeling her member hardening even more, swelling against her boxers uncomfortably and begging for attention. Jurina barely registered the feeling of a pair of fingers fumbling with the waistband of her boxers, before stiffening when Rena gently cupped her throbbing organ through the fabric of her underwear.

“You’re so hard. Come on, take it off.”

Jurina shuddered at the sound of Rena’s husky voice, feeling her resolve faltering by every second under her penetrating look. She wasn’t sure why she was still holding back; she had waited this moment for so long. Then, a part of her realized that her fear of rejection remained deeply anchored within her, and she was afraid Rena might not be completely ready for this and would regret afterwards taking the next step.

"I want to feel you inside me.”

Rena’s lewd words only served to reinforce her arousal and she knew she was on the verge of losing her sanity, feeling a new lurch of excitement within her. When Rena reached up and connected their mouths, she succumbed to the forceful domination of her lips, before swallowing hard as Rena leaned back on her elbows, her eyes slowly traveling down to her underwear in silent expectation.

Jurina brushed aside the voice inside her head, the one that had filled her with insecurities and doubts all her life, before slowly peeling off her boxers, letting the cotton undergarment fall by the side of the bed. Jurina felt a prickle of apprehension under Rena’s scrutiny, trying to decipher her unreadable expression, knowing she was discovering her unconventional anatomy for the very first time.

When Rena held out her hand in her direction, Jurina carefully got back on top of her and, as she read no sign of fear or repulsion in Rena’s eyes but only tenderness and desire, she felt an overwhelming surge of relief and hope. Jurina could feel her heart beginning to beat faster and she caressed tenderly Rena’s cheek, taking her lips in a soft, lingering kiss, trying to convey her eternal devotion to her.

Jurina kept her eyes fixed on her while she gently spread Rena’s thighs apart and pressed herself between her legs, knowing her need for her was showing when their wet parts came in contact. After putting the protection on, Jurina laid down on top of her and placed her member at the entrance, prodding against her, carefully pushing her length inside Rena’s closed folds, her member slowly working its way into her.

Jurina heard a small plaintive cry leaving Rena’s lips and felt the body beneath her tensing at the sudden, unfamiliar intrusion. At once, she stilled and paused her progression. Jurina planted little, soft kisses along Rena’s cheek, determined to reassure her, ready to patiently give her enough time to adjust to the size of her erect member. “Try to relax. I’ll be slow and gentle.”

Jurina kissed her lingeringly on the mouth while her hand seared a path down her chest. Her palms followed the curves of her breasts before roaming intimately over them, caressing her sensitive taunt nipples. Jurina could tell her soothing words and affectionate gestures were having a positive influence as she felt Rena’s body easing up, the heavy breathing against her cheek slowing down little by little.

Tentatively, Jurina began moving inside her again, slowly pushing, progressing inside her inch by inch as she felt her muscles stretching to accommodate her length. She restrained herself from going all the way in for now, knowing Rena’s insides had not fully gotten used to the intrusion yet. Jurina pulled her member out, then back in, slowly moving her hips back and forth a few times.

Jurina kept moving inside her at a slow, gentle pace for a while, relishing the delicious sensation of Rena’s walls enveloping her length, progressively giving her better and more access to maneuver inside her. Jurina felt her own pleasure and arousal increasing in intensity as she realized she had finally obtained what she had desired ardently for so long, and she and Rena were finally making one.

Jurina could tell that Rena’s initial discomfort had turned to pleasure when the moans spilling from Rena’s mouth were now sweet with arousal. Excited by her response, Jurina was driven to indulge even more in her body. Jurina thrusted a little deeper inside her, feeling Rena’s nails digging, almost painfully, into her back in reaction, until her member reached Rena’s deepest point, causing her to let out a particularly loud moan. 

Rena’s gasps and moans rose in intensity as she continued moving rhythmically, penetrating her body over and over. She increased the pace gradually but refused to go too fast or too hard, wishing to be as gentle as possible and prolong their lovemaking, ensure the moment was pleasurable for both of them. Each time Jurina slid herself in and out, she felt Rena’s uneven breathing brushing against her cheek, intermittent moans leaving her lover’s quivering lips as her arms around her back tightened their hold.

Through the fog of ecstasy, Jurina focused on how Rena’s face was bustling with her own pleasure, watched in fascination as her body writhed beneath her, matching her every movement. Her face nuzzled into Rena’s neck and she kissed the pulsing, moist hollow at the base of her throat, exploring and caressing her skin with her tongue. This body was all her heart desired, she was in supreme bliss.

Jurina felt the older girl embracing her buttocks with her legs, seeking more friction, allowing her to plunge deeper within her. Jurina’s eyes clamped shut and she groaned, her breathing haggard. She could feel the fresh rain scent of Rena mixed with the musk smell of passion that their desire had released into the air, hear the wet sounds of their bodies smacking so deliciously lewd in the bedroom.

All of a sudden, Jurina saw the body beneath her convulse and she stilled, feeling Rena’s inner walls clamp down around her member as a powerful orgasm shook her. Rena’s arms closed around Jurina’s neck and she muffled a cry against her shoulder, shuddering as waves of ecstasy crashed over her again and again.

Jurina could not contain herself any longer as she felt her own climax coiling around her throbbing member, squeezing tight, showing no mercy. Giving a few more thrusts, she buried herself inside her and let her own orgasm claim her, following her too over the edge when the wild ragged pleasure overtook her completely.

After a few heavy breathings, Jurina collapsed onto her and buried her face in Rena’s neck, listening as they both panted in raged, sated bliss, losing herself in the delicious aftershock of her orgasm. Jurina lingered inside her for a moment, feeling Rena’s grip progressively relaxing around her neck, before slowly pulling out of her. Jurina’s lips descended to meet hers and her mouth moved over hers with tenderness, witnessing the sting of tears of happiness behind Rena’s eyelids as she whispered her unconditional love for her.


End file.
